Moon and Stone
by Andrea13 and PersephoneKore
Summary: Legends always have a basis in fact...but sometimes they change so much as to be unrecognizable. Return to the time of Hogwarts' Founding and discover the truth behind the Chamber of Secrets and the first werewolf at Hogwarts.
1. A New Home

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is intended._

_Authors' note: This is not a part of any of our other fic universes. Feedback is welcome at ra_1013@yahoo.com and persephone_kore@yahoo.com._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone_Kore  
Chapter 1**

Cold.

The chill was the first thing that penetrated, and penetrated was the word for it; it seemed to have reached all the way into the marrow of his bones, and he _ached_.

Part of it was the transformation, of course, but... it wasn't always _this_ bad... and those were usually sharp pains, and tearing muscle aches, and this seemed to run deeper yet. He seemed to have been unconscious. It wouldn't have been the first time he passed out, he supposed, but he didn't _remember_ transforming back, and that worried him; he lay now with his cheek pressed against cold stone and sweat drying on his body and --

Stone. Stone, and icy metal lying over his body -- he slitted an eye open and closed it against the painful silvery glitter.

He'd been caught.

He wondered why they hadn't yet killed him.

"I wondered," a woman's voice said reflectively, "when you were going to wake."

Well. At least they were _expecting_ him to. Probably to torture him before they killed him.

His thoughts were always so optimistic after a transformation. "Now you know," he rasped through a dry throat.

"So I do." She moved into his field of vision as he cautiously tried opening his eyes again.

A small woman, not that that meant anything, when this field of silver around him argued strongly for a witch's hand to be involved. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, cheerful. He loathed her immediately. People like _her_ could have a normal life, could stand there in clean robes with neat hair and fat cheeks that had never known a day's want.

And people like _him_ were netted like rabbits at their feet.

"What do you want?" he snarled.

"Well, if you'd hold still, please...." She took out her wand and touched it to a knot in the silver, then grasped a handful of strands and yanked hard. Salazar ducked involuntarily as metal cords that had apparently been sunk straight into the stone came free and skittered over him, twisting into a single fat rope in her hand that she then flung into a corner of the room.

Then the backwash of the spell hit him, like cold water pouring down, and he nearly passed out again.

"I'm sorry," the witch's voice said, closer this time, "but you see we were rather in a rush, and we couldn't take _that_ off with you still unconscious; it might have driven you down entirely."

He pulled back from her unconsciously, registering more "person close enough to attack" than "person who just took the net _off_ you, you prat." He was shivering slightly from the cold. "W--Why would you -- If you were jusssst going to take it off..."

"Well, you were a bit unmanageable earlier in the night," she said dryly. "As I said, I'm afraid we were in something of a hurry."

The knot of dread that always hovered in his stomach after a full moon gave a sudden twist. In a hoarse, fearful voice, he asked quietly, "Did I bite ssomeone? I didn't think there'd be anyone in that foresst, I ssswear!"

Oddly, she smiled at him. "No, no, you didn't. We rather thought that might have been why you chose the place, though you did very nearly run straight into where we'd been spellworking. But Godric and Rowena had already felt you coming, and we were...well, partly ready, at least. You didn't bite anyone. But I'm afraid we did have to improvise a way to restrain you rather quickly."

At least they'd gone for "restrain" rather than "kill". Salazar sighed. "I'm sssorry. I'll leave at oncce. I won't be anywhere near you by next full moon."

"Mmf. Well, you can't leave _now_."

Now the _other_ knot of dread gave a sharp tug. This was the one that read "please don't let anyone decide they need to rid the world of werewolves, starting with this one" instead of "please please please please don't let me hurt anyone." "I promisse I won't causse any more problemss."

"Well, that might be easier from here, really, mightn't it? But we've got to talk about that; we've not had much time and, well, I've been here watching you.... That's not the point right now though. You look dreadful."

He snorted and muttered, "Thiss iss how I alwayss look," before he thought better of it. What on earth was the woman _talking_ about, anyway? Were they...were they planning on keeping him locked up so he couldn't hurt anyone? Knot of Dread Number Three started dancing. He was only truly dangerous one night a month, regardless of what suspicion might say. He'd go _mad_.

"Oh dear. Can you walk?"

"I jusst _ssaid_ I'd leave. Of coursse I can walk." Not _easily_, of course, and heavily aided by magic, but he'd taught himself long ago to ignore the searing pains and deep-seated aches from the transformation. Of course, he usually preferred to try _without_ someone staring at him the whole time...

"Well, let me help you up then?"

He tried, lurchingly, to get up and found that his limbs were even stiffer than usual, as if the stone and silver had sapped all the energy out of them even more than a night out in the woods.

The witch knelt and put a hand on his back after a moment. "No, here, let me help. You ought to rest." He felt a spell take hold of him with a flick of her wand and a whisper, and then rather to his shock he was lifted into the air.

This would have been one thing if she'd stuck to levitation, but instead of directing him with her wand she fixed the spell when she apparently considered him lightened enough, then reached out and half-cradled him.

He would have protested the indignity, only, Merlin, she was _warm_ and the shock of it drove home how chilled he was and set his entire body shivering violently. "Why are you--" He broke off, wracked with shivers. He _wanted_ to ask why she was helping him, but he was half-afraid if he did, she'd say she was only taking him up to the waiting mob with silver knives or something. So he just concentrated on trying to stop shaking.

"I know it's not very dignified," she said rather apologetically, apparently mistaking his question, "but I've found body heat and warm water generally are rather less of a shock than most warming charms -- of course, possibly I'm just not very good at warming charms. We all have our failings." She was walking swiftly but with a smooth stride, and a door opened ahead of her without her touching it.

"I think my dignity abandoned me yearsss ago." Along with his family, friends, any hope of normal life -- no, don't think about any of that. "You ssseem good at everything, right now."

"Well, that'd be no excuse normally," she half-murmured, shifting him slightly. Salazar found his head resting on her shoulder; she must not be very worried he'd try to bite her, at least.... "And not everything, but hopefully the _relevant_ things. Ah --" She paused mid-step by a door. "I almost didn't think. Have you need to relieve yourself?"

"...No. Where are you taking me?"

She began walking again. "Well, I rather thought you might do with a warm bath. You _are_ rather badly chilled; that net didn't help."

"Did you really think it _would_?" he couldn't help snapping. She was really being much nicer than anyone _else_ who'd found out about what he was, and certainly nicer than she _could_ be, but blast it, he was tired, aching, cold, and very confused, and he'd like some answers!

"No," she said quietly, "but it was the best we could do on short notice. So I'm going to get you to a nice bath, and maybe heat it up a bit more as we go -- water absorbs warming charms very nicely."

"You sssound like a Healer. Well, either that or a mother--" He stopped that thought very quickly. His mother hadn't exactly put him in nice baths with warming charms.

"Not a mother, not yet." She sounded faintly wistful. "But there's time yet for that, I suppose. I _am_ a Healer." She paused by another door that swung open on a room whose air was filled with lazy drifts of steam. "Here we are. We can get you warmed up now -- and you sound as if you could use something to drink."

"...Yesss, thank you." He still couldn't figure out why she was being so _nice_. She'd as good as _said_ he'd attacked her and her two friends -- friends? siblings? parents? -- last night. Why wasn't she cursing him, or making sure he got as far away from them as possible?

"There now...." She got him into the bath and stepped away -- the water felt strange, slippery; had it been that long since he had a real bath, that he'd forgotten it was supposed to feel this way, or had they done something to it? "Don't swallow any of the bath water; there are potions in it not meant to be taken internally," the woman said lightly as she came back with a carved wooden cup in hand. "Here. Can you hold it all right?"

"Yessss." But he needed both hands, and they shook slightly as he drank. It occurred to him as soon as the water passed his lips that it could be poisoned -- but if she'd wanted to kill him, there were _much_ easier ways of doing it. And it tasted so good... He drained the cup while he was still debating, then blinked at it and smiled sheepishly at the witch. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled back and perched on the edge of the tub, felt his forehead, then aimed her wand at the water. He felt it heat subtly and swirl around him as she reached for the cup. "Want more? It wasn't too cold, was it?"

"It wass _wonderful_," he said fervently. "I...wouldn't mind more, if it'ss not too much trouble."

"Not a bit of it." She patted his water-slicked shoulder and disappeared again as he sank a little deeper into the water. It was wonderful too, curling comfortingly around aching limbs and driving out the anguished ache....

Surely she wouldn't bother bathing him and giving him water if she was just going to kill him. Of course, she might have some spell planned that needed a live, healthy werewolf as an ingredient. There'd been a few less than ethical wizards with that in mind over the past years... He gave a sudden start, splashing water on the floor, when the witch came back into the room.

"Sssorry," he apologized, wondering why he'd only just _now_ started wondering what had happened to his wand and starting to look for it surreptitiously.

"It'll dry." She regarded the increasingly misty air dubiously. "Eventually." She perched on the edge of the bath again and handed him the cup. "There. -- My name's Helga, by the way, I just realized I hadn't introduced myself."

"...I'm Ssssalazar." _~Why are you being so nice to me?~_ No, that probably wasn't the best thing to blurt out. He took another cautious sip of water instead, and once again ended up draining half the cup in one swallow.

"Easy there...." She touched his shoulder again lightly. "I'm sure you do need the water, but it's not good to drink it too fast."

"Sssorry," he apologized again. "It'ss jusst very good."

"You're just very thirsty," she told him with a hint of a smile.

"That too." His mouth quirked up a bit, though his eyes were still scanning the room in hopes of spotting his wand. Failing that, at least he could find all the possible dangers and escape routes.

"Are you looking for something? Oh!" Helga reached into a pocket and took out... his wand. He eyed it warily; to his astonishment, she held it out. "I was a bit worried you might panic and hex me when you woke up; _I_ wouldn't exactly be in a friendly mood if I woke up under a net. Do you want it now, or shall I put it aside so it doesn't get wet?"

He took it wordlessly, feeling like he had an old friend back. ...Not that any of his old friends had ever come back. _~Getting depressing again, Salazar. Stop it. Worry about not dying now.~_ "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She heated the water again and then gave a flick to her wand that sent the warmer parts slithering down and around his back. "Once you're warmed up and dried off, do you think you could stomach some soup? You seem to be doing well enough with the water...."

"Yesss, thank you..." Salazar's curiosity and confusion finally got to him and he blurted out, 

"Why are you being so _nicce_ to me?"

"...You seemed to need it." Helga's mouth flexed in a wry smile. "Don't take that for pity, at least not alone. I've some notion what a werewolf goes through, and... you didn't ask to be bitten, and from where you were, you were trying very hard _not_ to bite anyone else. Which what you've said only confirms. You don't deserve to be ill-treated, and if I can help...."

"Bite ssomeone else and put them through _thissss_? No one could be that cruel-hearted," Salazar said bitterly. "And few enough have cared before whether I assked to be bitten or not."

"Well, I do. As do my friends." She didn't bother walking away to refill the cup this time, but spelled the drinking water into it until it was brimming again. "We've no wish to harm you; for that matter, we've no wish for you to get caught in some of Rowena's odder experiments by way of roaming the area. And we could hardly let you wander off in this state anyway."

The dread twisted his stomach again at the casual mention of not letting him leave. He wondered absently if he was up to Knot #4, or if one of the old ones was acting out again. Either way, he couldn't stand the thought of drinking again. She certainly _seemed_ nice enough, and at least his captivity was likely to be an easier one than it could be, but...gilded bars could still make a cage.

He'd thought for one tantalizing moment that...but no. They were still afraid of what he'd do, even if they didn't think it was his _fault_.

"Especially since we had to leave you on the floor all night," she added wryly when he didn't speak. "Are you starting to feel any better?" A brief pause. "...Salazar?"

What, was he expected to _thank_ her for locking him up? Well, for not killing him, perhaps. "I'll try not to be too much trouble," he answered bitterly. Maybe they had the right idea, maybe he _was_ too dangerous to be allowed to roam free, but...

Helga snorted mildly. "Well, that'll be a refreshing change. I think having a healer move in has convinced _certain_ people that the acceptable level of risk has jumped -- well, never mind; I really can't say they weren't always like that."

"Tell any of them to try having their body ripped apart and reformed oncce a month, then ssee how eager they are to court more injuriess."

She winced. "I'm sorry: I didn't mean to be rude."

Salazar shrugged. "It'ss all right. I wassn't trying to inssult you either. You've been...very kind."

"I don't know -- I'd say we got off to rather a bad start, but I'll try to make up for it if I may. Do you mind soaking a bit longer while I look for a clean robe for you?"

"...No. The water feelss wonderful." And perhaps he'd be able to escape while she was gone, though presumably she wouldn't be _leaving_ him here if there _was_ such a way.

"I'll be right back then." She heated it again. "And I'll see whether the soup's ready. Do you like beets?"

He laughed mirthlessly. "Right now, madam, I like anything that isn't raw."

"That we can definitely manage." She half-smiled at him and started away, glancing back over her shoulder to add, "And once you've some food in you I'll have a better range of healing spells to choose from."

Salazar sank deeper into the spell-warmed water as she left. Healing. He hadn't had a Healer attend him after a transformation since...well, the first one, until everyone realized just _what_ had happened to him and cast him out. He supposed he should feel grateful that they hadn't had the heart to kill him themselves, out of memory of the man they'd known, but that was cold comfort. Maybe...it might even be worth the prison to be truly _healed_, if only for a few days. Of course, he'd just undo all her hard work in a month's time, so there wasn't really much point.

But he was warm, and he was clean, and it had been quite a long time for either.

He was dozing in the tub when Helga's return made him jump and splash more water over the floor. He regarded it sheepishly. "I need to sstop doing that..."

"Quite all right. You needed the rest, I should think." She flicked a warming charm at the floor without paying much attention, and the puddle hissed into steam. She eyed it ruefully. "See, this is why I worry about using those directly on people.... Here, I've got a towel and a fresh robe. They smell of mint. I think Rowena's done something peculiar to the laundry."

"That'ss all right. Mint aidss healing, doessn't it?" Salazar stood, slightly shakily but without help, and wrapped himself in the warm and soothing-smelling towel.

"In many cases." She smiled at him and shook out the robe, which once he had dried off also turned out to be warm and soothing-smelling. "We've taken the liberty of preparing a room for you; I'd imagine you could do with some time to rest...."

He wondered fatalistically what kind of cage they'd designed for him. But he felt as if he was about to fall over as it was, so he could either accept gracefully or be carried there. "Yess, thank you."

"Good, then, we'll go tuck you in and get you something to eat..." She tucked _herself_ under his shoulder helpfully; he tried not to lean on her too much, still nervous, but he wondered if she was feeding strength over -- would she? Could she do that? Or was it just the nerves themselves?

"Here we are." Another door opened smoothly for them, and he blinked. It wasn't a large room, and the walls were weirdly sleek stone and looked quite sturdy -- but so did all the walls here, and the stone peeked out from between tapestries and rugs, and there was a bed and a table and two chairs, one of which looked rather odd and came over to sniff him. Helga patted it and steered it back to the table. "I think Rowena may need to watch what she has in mind when she goes trying to animate furniture. The bed won't do anything peculiar, though, I promise."

"Thiss iss....very, very nicce. Thank you." He was starting to feel overwhelmed. What prisoner was treated like this? _He_ hadn't been treated like this since...he was still considered human. He was about to start shaking, so he seized on the first thing that came to mind. "Thiss...Rowena? Who is she? A ssisster, neighbor..?"

"A friend. A cousin of some sort by marriage; I think her house is still in this somewhere, but Godric has earth-affinities and they did decide it needed to be a bit sturdier, so it's something of a keep now. They invited me to visit, and I ended up staying rather longer than planned. Here, would you prefer to sit, or just prop up in bed?"

"Bed, I think." He might not be able to get _up_ if he chose a halfway point like a chair. He managed a sort of controlled collapse onto the amazingly soft mattress -- was this magically enhanced, or had he just forgotten how a real bed felt? "Godric. Iss that her hussband?"

"...You know, I'm not actually _entirely_ sure what they are to each other. Husband, lover, spell-partner only -- I wouldn't be surprised at either of the first two, though, and it's for certain they're not close enough kin for anyone else to believe it's strictly proper after this much time." She was rearranging pillows underneath him; he found himself sort of half-sitting up and very comfortable, and she put a tray over his lap before giving him the soup-bowl.

Salazar thought that she really should know a bit more about the people she cast with, but supposed the unknown relationship between his two as-yet-unseen hosts was not as important as the food in front of him. It had been so long since his last warm meal...

He attacked the bowl with a vengeance and finished it in record time, looking up from the empty bowl to see Helga watching him with an odd mix of amusement and pity. He wondered if his table manners were _that_ bad by now. "Er, thank you. It wass exccellent."

"Glad you liked it. There's more, and of course you're welcome to it, but perhaps you should go easy just now -- it won't do much good if it doesn't stay down." She stepped toward him with her wand out and reached for the bowl with her free hand. "May I?"

He had to fight _hard_ not to pull away as she approached with wand extended, and reminded himself forcibly that she had been nothing but helpful. It was highly unlikely she'd kill him _now_, but... He managed to not do anything more than stiffen slightly, but his eyes still showed his panic. "As you wisssh."

Helga turned to set the bowl aside, then looked more closely at him and put her wand away before she removed the tray and reached down for his hand. "I will do you no harm," she said quietly. "I am sorry. I should have thought more on what you would have reason to expect, and made that clear from the start. Forgive me?"

"I -- yesssss, though I ssstill don't undersstand what you want from me..."

"I want to help, mostly. Though if I'm not mistaken your voice says you're a Parselmouth, and I might ask you questions on that if you're willing -- and I can't say the practice won't do me good. But I can hardly ask much of anything of you at the moment; you _did_ spend a hard night, and while I suppose you would have no matter what, it was partly my fault."

"...Yess, I'm a Parsselmouth. I'll ansswer your quesstionss..." He shook his head faintly. This was a confusing woman. "It really wassn't that much of a harder night than ussual." His face and voice grew sober as he added, "And anything would be worth it sso I didn't attack an innoccent."

"Anything? A noble sentiment. But waking up under a net still can't be too pleasant." She was tracing a pattern on his wrist that might have been the symbol for a written spell. "If you will permit me, I will heal you. But I don't want you alarmed at the time."

"It'ss not _noble_," he half-hissed. "It'ss bad enough that _I_ have to go through thiss becausse sssomeone elsse wassn't careful enough. I'm not going to put anyone _elssse_ through it! No one desservess that."

"I've met a few," Helga said softly, "who were bitter enough to say otherwise. Leave it that I respect you for the attitude you do take, and let me tend to you. ...Try to relax, if you can; it makes things easier."

"I've done nothing admirable," he said quietly, but tried to relax somewhat for the healing. "Thank you for your help."

"You are, as I've said before, welcome." She took her wand out again, but kept hold of his hand, and to his surprise she began by telling him softly to close his eyes and then casting an illusion spell straight into his mind -- an oddly cool one, staff-and-serpent that glided and spiraled mesmerizingly. His own mind must have supplied the words when it hissed trust and comfort. Strange. Then there was warmth, starting down from the back of his neck and spreading out from his spine, with another pool starting where she held his hand, and he found himself relaxing despite all the reasons he still had to worry.

Then she began reciting other spells, and not all of them were comfortable at all, but the uneasy feelings always ended in the sensation of something having been set right and then soothed down...

He still felt drained when she laid her wand down and cupped his temple with the hand she had freed. He was trembling slightly, though not with cold and not really with fear, and his stomach was prodding him about feeding it again.

"There. You should be able to eat some more now safely, I think, but lie still for just a bit while the blood flow evens out...."

He tried thanking her, but the words got mixed up and turned around in his head so he just ended up hissing quietly and a little incoherently for a moment, his eyes half-closed. The illusion snake still hovered in his mind, making him feel...really better than he had in a long, long time....

"That...illussion," he said slowly when he thought he could speak again. "The ssserpent. What iss it? It'ss beautiful..."

"The caduceus. It's a symbol that came down from a Greek Healer, long ago."

"He musst have been a Parsselmouth. It wass beautiful. Can you...are you permitted to ssshow me how to casst it?"

"At my discretion... Yes, in other words, though I'd be... strongly encouraged to teach you healing spells first. What I did _is_ one, in fact; the illusion alone isn't terribly hard to work out, given enough time to study the details, but it's best cast in conjunction with ones to ease fever or soothe distress."

"I already know ssome healing sspellss, though I'd love to learn more...if you would teach me, of courssse."

"I'd be delighted to. Of course." She grinned at him. "Some of them are stronger in Parseltongue, too, I'm told."

"Thosse are the oness I know, mosstly," Salazar admitted with a return grin. "I sstudied a bit, before... I'm besst at healing potionss -- potionss in general, really -- but it'ss difficult to have a full apothecary OR laboratory anymore."

"Hm. I imagine so." She tilted her head. "Rowena does some work with potions, and I know those I tend to need -- I also that's little enough compared to the full range of study, though. It would be nice to have someone with a wider range; if you wanted to stay, I'm sure there could be space made...."

Salazar froze and stared at her. "Wanted? But -- you sssaid -- I thought I wassn't to be allowed to leave."

Helga looked at him in bewilderment. "I don't think I said anything of the sort!"

"Yesss you _did_!" Salazar insisted. "You ssaid you didn't want me wandering off and getting in the way of Rowena'ss experimentss, and then you ssaid you couldn't let me leave _anyway_."

Helga still looked decidedly nonplussed. "Well, I _wouldn't_ want you getting in the way of Rowena's experiments -- half the time I don't want _her_ in their way -- oh. Oh dear. I did say I couldn't have just let you leave, but I meant... in this condition, right away, especially after we'd just made things worse leaving you on the floor all night."

"...You didn't meant I had to sstay? I thought you meant...when you ssaid 'this condition', I jusst asssumed you meant...being a werewolf, that you couldn't rissk me hurting anyone..." Salazar blinked rapidly and tried to take this in. They weren't considering him a prisoner. He could leave any time he wanted. But...they were treating him as a _guest_ and talking about letting him stay, even though they knew what he was. ...Could that be _possible_?

"I meant I couldn't send you away or leave you lying there, half-starved, half-frozen, and injured." Helga looked a bit pale. "I wasn't referring to trying to restrain you; clearly you've been doing the best you could already about not endangering others, and I'd guess from the area that you were doing quite well up until you ran into a few _other_ people... who were trying to avoid endangering others by magic, and had thus also picked a relatively unpopulated bit of forest." She hesitated. "I admit, though, that it _would_ be reassuring, if you stay, if you'd be willing to be restrained somehow that one night. Or if not...." She shrugged. "We never meant to hold you prisoner. I'm sorry if I gave that impression. If you don't wish to stay here, you can go -- but if you wished to come back for the full moon, for stone walls to prevent harm to anyone else and healing to ease the harm to you, I'd imagine that could be arranged too."

Now Salazar's blinking was to hold back tears. "You...you would let me ssstay, or come back for sshelter, even knowing what I am? Offer your home, even heal me? But...I'm a beasssst..."

"Only the one night," she said softly. He thought he saw a glitter of tears in _her_ eyes, but couldn't be sure.

"No one _elsse_ caress about the disstinction," Salazar retorted bitterly. "No other healers would have anything to do with me oncce they knew what I wass, even after the full moon had passed. My own _family_ wouldn't have me around! Why--" His voice faltered and broke. "Why would you bother?"

"I suppose it makes a difference," she said slowly, eyes lowered, "that we _can_ protect ourselves, over the full moon. But -- it would not be fair to blame you, though granted it probably _is_ better for everyone if you've a sturdy place to stay at least over the full moon, and I'm sworn to help people where I can, and," she looked up again with a tiny smile, "I like you."

"No one's ssuppossed to like me," Salazar muttered. "I'm a bloody _werewolf_."

"Well, I do. So there."

Salazar laughed a little despite himself. "Thank you. I'm not...ussed to that, but...I think I'm glad. And I think I like you too, though I definitely like you a lot _more_ now that you're not planning on keeping me locked up!"

"I wasn't planning on it in the _first_ place!"

"But I _thought_ you were, which was making it very difficult to like you, no matter how nice and ssoothing you were." He looked very hopeful. "Were you sseriouss about being able to sstay here, even at full moonss? I -- I _can't_ rissk hurting anyone, no matter how ssmall the rissk is..."

"Yes. I had a chance to talk with Godric, however briefly -- he says if you can bear being closed up in stone there will _be_ no risk. And I can look after you, afterward...."

No risk. No risk. No risk. NO RISK!

The words sang over and over in Salazar's blood until he felt like laughing and crying at the same time. _No risk_ His breath was catching hard in a chest that felt like someone was squeezing with a giant hand. _No risk_ There was something hard and spiny caught in his throat he didn't really want to think about _no risk_ and he couldn't stop grinning like a fool. _No risk_ "I can bear anything, for that," he said, voice husky with unshed tears. _No risk_ "Thank you... That'ss not even enough to ssay...but _thank you_."

"Easy...." Helga had leaned forward, looking slightly alarmed; after studying him keenly while he managed to get words out, she said softly, "I'm not the one you should be thanking, really, but...." And then she hugged him. Hard.

And how long had it been....

Salazar was really _about_ to say something witty and profound, but then her arms wrapped around him and held on tightly, driving every other thought out of his head but _Hug BACK!_ His arms tightened around her convulsively. Everyone acted like he had some catching disease -- which he did, but only once a month, and only if he _bit_ them. Hugging didn't hurt anything. Hugging was just...hugging meant someone was _there_, who wasn't afraid.

"You're very welcome," she said softly, and he felt her hand rub gentle circles between his shoulderblades, and when she finally pushed back from him it was with a slightly apologetic smile. "And you're stronger than you seemed a bit ago; may I breathe?" But she didn't take her hand from his arm.

If the truth were known, Helga _was_ a little bit afraid. It wasn't as if she hadn't heard all the stories, the whispers, the warnings. Still, she _was_ a healer, and she'd treated many people -- and many beasts for that matter -- who were far more dangerous in their illness or pain than a werewolf was between full moons. Certainly than this one, who was nearly undone by a little kindness and the prospect of being shut away from any chance of harming someone during the full moons. It was heartwrenching.

He flushed and stammered out an apology. "I'm ssorry. I didn't intend to -- did I hurt you?" What a foolish thing to do, and now he'd be driven away from here just after they'd offered him help! He needed to control himself better.

"No, no, I'm fine." She squeezed his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry -- I'm not terribly fragile, just needed a little more room to breathe after a while. Don't look so upset."

"I didn't mean to..." Salazar sighed and looked away. "I'm ssorry," he repeated. "Can I -- do you -- will you sstill let me ssstay?"

Helga looked astonished at him. "Of course! Oh, for -- Salazar, listen." She tugged at his arm, then shook her head and wrapped him in another hug. "You didn't hurt me, I told you. You just, er, held on so tight I had a little trouble getting my breath. And I don't _mind_ that, as long as you ease off periodically."

He didn't hug back this time, though he wanted to, but he _did_ feel just a little better. "I _am_ ssorry. I'll try to remember."

"It's all right, I tell you. I did say I didn't mind, didn't I?"

"Yesss. I'm--" He stopped himself before he could apologize again. "I...do greatly appreciate the offer, though. I'd be honored to...ssstay, for as long as you'll have me.."

"We're glad." She didn't let go of him. "Look, you can still hug back, you know, it _is_ all right...."

He closed his arms tentatively around her again and hugged, though he was very mindful this time of how much pressure he was exerting. Being a werewolf, oddly enough, gave him more strength even in his untransformed state, but he was rarely around humans enough to need to worry. "Thank you, again." His stomach gave a loud and embarrassing rumble. "Er...I think the blood flow has sstabilized..."

"Quite right. I shouldn't have kept you waiting." She resisted a brief urge to ruffle his hair and moved back to refill his bowl of soup.

He smiled faintly before applying himself to his food. "Believe me, it wass worth it."

...He'd been hungrier for the touch than the food.

Helga smiled back and drew the better-behaved chair beside the bed to break her own fast. "Very well then."

He fought with himself to _eat_ the soup and not simply _inhale_ it. That was poor table manners (even if he had a tray, not a table) and he'd rather like to taste it besides. It was quite good. He also wondered what precisely a Parselmouth werewolf wizard said to a Healer witch who'd just offered him his heart's desire and then proceeded to sip at her soup like she hadn't done anything extraordinary.

"Will I be able to meet your...friendss?" he asked at last, trying and failing to think of how better to classify the absent Rowena and Godric.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course. I don't think either of them will be in a state to talk about anything but their latest spellwork until this evening, though."

"All right. I wouldn't want to dissturb anyone." And sleeping for a week would be nice too, but he was anxious to meet his hosts. "What wass it you were doing out there? It'ss been a while ssince I've heard any magical theory."

"A sort of mathematical alchemy, earth-and-air work. The walking chair's an earlier related result."

"That ssoundss fass--" He was interrupted by a huge yawn that appeared to swallow his head momentarily. "Fassscinating. Excusse me. I'd love to obsserve ssometime, if that would be accceptable."

"I'm sure it would. Or participate if you're willing. They brought me into it for the transfiguration aspects; I'm sure they'd love having someone better at potions." She grinned. "You, however, could probably use a long nap."

He smiled ruefully. "I'm ssorry. I'm ussually not up for much the day after a full moon. And it's harder to ignore exhausstion when I _don't_ have sso many achess and painss! I haven't felt thiss good in...yearss."

"It's absolutely nothing to apologize for. You were up essentially all night; you went through two exhausting transformations, a fight, and a healing -- you have every right to be tired. I think I'd be rather shocked if you weren't."

"You're far more undersstanding than mossst." And _that_ was a vast understatement! "Thank you, for everything. And thank your friendss."

"I will, until you've the chance to meet them for yourself."

"Thank--" another yawn "--Thank you. Again. I can't wait to meet them..." His voice trailed off and he fell asleep sitting up in bed with an empty tray of food in front of him.

*****

Helga, when she was done herself, quietly took the tray away and rearranged his pillows so he could lie down, then tucked him in. "Sleep well," she murmured, and he might have heard her in his dreams, "and wake a great deal better than last time."

If he'd been awake, Salazar might have commented wryly that it wouldn't be possible to feel much _worse_ and still wake up.

However, he was _not_ awake, so Helga took the trays and brought them down to the kitchen, then sought out the owner of the place and her...well, whatever Godric was. The two were found, completely unsurprisingly, in Rowena's library. Rowena was sketching out some effects from the previous night's casting on a scrap of parchment and gesturing quite violently with her quill. Helga simply settled onto a nearby chair, waited for a lull, and put in mildly, "He woke up."

"Oh good," said Rowena. The quill flirted around to point at Helga, largely because of the way its owner had just swiveled her hand under her chin. "Were there any difficulties? You look well enough, but how is he?"

"Sleeping again, at the moment, but largely healed, bathed, and fed. He's looking _much_ better, and he's actually rather sweet." Helga tilted her head slightly, considering how to filter the whole conversation down to the most pertinent information. "It's as we suspected; he was trying to _avoid_ hurting anyone and had no idea that part of the forest was occupied. The poor thing, he turned dead white when he thought he might've bitten someone."

Godric nodded. "You asked me about other full moons, didn't you? -- Will he be staying, visiting...? Trying to get as far as possible from where we netted him?"

"I thought he might want to get as far as possible, but when I mentioned the possibility of staying with no risk during full moons..." She swallowed hard. "He was overwhelmed. I don't know how long he's been traveling, but he looked shocked that anyone would even _consider_ letting him stay. We only discussed it briefly, but he seemed _quite_ happy at the idea of staying as long as we would let him."

"Well, it's better for everyone that way, after all." Rowena's tone was brisk, but her expression was soft. "I always thought the tales of what they were like between full moons sounded as if they might be feeding themselves much the way those of witches do in some areas.... Well. We'll have to meet him when he's feeling up to it."

"He mentioned several times that he wanted to meet you. His specialty is potions, apparently. I thought that would be very useful to have around. If nothing else, I'd love to have someone help brew MY potions so I don't have to spend three days doing what a better brewer could do in one."

Rowena grinned. "Mercy, if he's really good at brewing he's a godsend. Of course, I wouldn't imagine he's exactly in _practice_ at the moment, so give him time."

"No, he said it had been a while since he'd had either supplies or space to work properly. But he sounded eager to get back to it. He never said _how_ long, but it certainly seemed to be a long time, from his reactions." She hesitated, playing with a stray strand of hair that had escaped her braid. "I...I _like_ him, Rowena. I know it's strange, after only speaking to him for a few minutes, all told, but... He seems very sweet, and polite, but I can see humor flashing in there as well. I think he could be a very good friend, truly."

"You _want_ to like everybody," Godric pointed out with a hint of a smile, "but don't get defensive; you tend to be an excellent judge from what I've seen, even if you put up with more than most. I'm quite willing to take your recommendation." He arched an eyebrow. "And heaven knows you could use someone less preoccupied around here, right?"

"I _want_ to like everyone, but that doesn't mean I _do_," Helga sniffed. "And you'll like him too, just wait and see. I'm not sure about less preoccupied; he seemed _quite_ willing to sit and discuss spell theory until he fell asleep in the middle of it."

"Well, in that case, he'll fit right in."

"Right in with _you_ two. _I_ prefer a little magical practice with my magical theory." Helga grinned at the old argument. "But in any case, do try to remember that he's been ill and give him a _little_ time before you go dragging him into your newest experiments."

"We _were_ practicing," Rowena protested laughingly, "or trying to."

"But we'll be good," Godric promised. "Is there anything else he needs just now? Or, when he wakes up, I suppose."

"I don't know of anything, but he wasn't asking me for anything. He just seemed so grateful we'd let him stay. As I said, he's as healed as I can get him for now." She paused. "He could probably stand some clothes. I borrowed one of your robes, Godric."

"That's fine, of course, and we can get him more -- I suppose I should expand the brewing rooms and equipment, too."

"Perhaps we should be _certain_ he's staying first, though I really think he will. Oh yes. Do you two promise not to go wake him up and drag him off for experiments if I tell you something else?"

Rowena looked amused. "We have a werewolf who's also a potions expert and interested in magical theory; what _else_ could you tell us to make us be so bad mannered as that?"

"He's a Parselmouth."

"...Oh, my." Rowena paused for a moment and visibly restrained her excitement, then grinned teasingly. "Wouldn't you be the most interested in that anyway?"

"You and Godric are the ones who have trouble restraining your curiosity, and besides, _I_ have already talked to him," Helga laughed. "And he already agreed to discuss healing spells with me later. I'm surprised a Healer hasn't gotten a hold of him before, but he acted like he'd never seen the Caduceus Charm."

"Hm. Well, you did mention doing it really well is relatively advanced...."

"Relatively, yes, but I'm hardly the _only_ one who can do it."

"I gather he liked it?"

"_Very_ much. I think he would've talked me into showing him how to do it then and there if he hadn't fallen asleep."

"Well, I suppose you'll get to it soon enough."

"Doubtlessly. Remember, though, that my purpose is to _heal_ him, and for that he needs _rest_, not magic lessons."

"We know, we know." Godric smiled. "We'll be good. Though if he's staying and seems as if he'd feel better with something to do, instructions on setting up potions laboratories shouldn't be too strenuous."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"We'll try to get him anything he needs. Do let us know when he's up for more company." Rowena smiled.

"I will," Helga murmured, but she wasn't entirely sure the other two heard her, as they had bent their heads together again over the parchment. Chuckling, she left the library and went to check on her own affairs.

She was up to her elbows in manure when the enchanted bell she'd left with Salazar chimed to tell her he was awake. She muttered thanks, then a quick cleaning spell as she left the greenhouse. On the way, she flagged down a passing brownie and sent him to fetch Rowena and Godric. "Good morning! I do hope you're feeling better," she said cheerfully as she bustled into Salazar's room.

Salazar sat up in bed and found, rather to his surprise despite a perfectly good memory of the healing, that he didn't have to move gingerly. "Far better," he said, "and far better than I ordinarily would. Much thanks to you." He hesitated, then asked cautiously, "Is it _still_ morning, or again?"

"Actually, it's about mid-afternoon, but I tend to always say good morning to a person in bed. Rather odd of me, I know. At any rate, I'm glad you're feeling better. Do you feel up to meeting Rowena and Godric? They should be here--" She paused at the sound of voices raised in heated debate in the hallway "--right about now."

Salazar briefly considered asking whether he actually had a choice in the matter, but suppressed the thought; it seemed ungrateful. "Ah, ccertainly. Would I be amisss in asking what they're... ah...discusssing?" He really hoped it wasn't him.

Helga cocked her head and listened for a moment. "Hmm. I think they're still arguing about whether unicorn horn would be more effective than phoenix tears in our experiment. Hmph. That's _my_ area." She smiled brightly at him. "Just a moment, I'll call them in."

She poked her head out the door and called out, "Do you think you two can stop arguing for long enough to greet our guest?"

"Of course," Godric replied promptly. "We can always go back to arguing, after all."

They stepped into the room; Salazar considered trying to rise to greet them and was forestalled by Rowena's hasty, "No need to get up. Helga might kill us."

"Not kill," Helga replied mildly. "I have enough work to do. Non-injurious pain only."

Salazar blinked at her, but she just smiled. "Ah...hello. I wanted to thank you for...everything."

"You're very welcome." The animate chair hurried over to Rowena; she looked at it in mild surprise, then patted it with an air suggesting that she would have given it a treat if it were capable of eating and sat down. "We'd have tried to meet you sooner, but had no idea you were in the area."

"I haven't been here very _long_. I wass jusst passsing through. If I _wassn't_," he added with a slight grimace, "I would've known ssomeone wass in that part of the foresst."

"Well, contrary to the impression Helga may have given you, we don't really make _that_ much of a habit of spellcasting outdoors in the middle of the night." Godric smiled. "And, of course, if we'd known you were about already we'd have been better prepared. Ideally to the point of looking for you _before_ last night -- Helga did relay the invitation to stay, I believe?"

"Yess, sshe did. Sshe ssaid you...had a way to make ccertain there wass no rissk during full moonss. I -- Ssuch a thing iss beyond pricce. I could never repay you, but...thank you."

"It's hardly a debt. It makes quite as much sense for us to thank you for cooperating, after all. It's not exactly an elegant solution, I'm afraid, but...." Godric held his hand over the floor and set his jaw; after a moment the stone puckered and a thin stalagmite climbed up into the air. He sent it smooth again and shrugged. "I would, I think, be able to close you in securely for the night."

Salazar eyed the now-smooth stone and muttered, "It'ss a good thing I don't ssuffer from clausstrophobia. Ssstill--" he raised his voice again "--to me, it iss a debt. It'ss been...a long time ssincce I was around anyone who'd be willing to housse a werewolf." Try "never," actually.

Godric half-shrugged. "Knowing we _can_ deal with you during the full moon, we'd be doing very ill to turn you away for that." He frowned slightly. "And we can seek another solution, if you wish; I confess I don't know what the effects of that one are likely to be...."

"As long as there'ss enough air insside, I don't ssee any harm. Ccertainly sseems ssafe enough... Other safeguardss could fail." Salazar shrugged. "At leasst there would be nothing I could damage."

"Except yourself." Godric frowned. "But I don't know that the net would be a better choice."

Salazar shuddered violently. "Not the net. Ssstone will be fine. Better than sssilver."

Godric frowned concernedly and started to put out a hand, then let it fall. "I _am_ sorry about that. As I said, you caught us a little off guard."

"It wassn't your fault. Anything you'd done would have been all right to sstop me." A quiet sigh, not quite looking at them. "But if I have a choicce, I choosse not sssilver."

"Then not silver," Rowena said matter-of-factly.

Godric took a step closer and set a hand briefly on Salazar's shoulder. "And I'll be sure not to suffocate you, I promise."

Salazar fought down a flinch at the touch. Hadn't the man just said he'd _help_? And hadn't Helga even hugged him earlier, without any harm? But he was so unused to touch being anything but an attack... He covered the flinch as well as he could and smiled faintly. "I'm ssure you won't. Bessidess, I'm harder to kill than that."

"Well," Godric replied with a hint of an answering smile and a step back (had he noticed?), "that's as may be, but there's no call to test it."

"I'm perfectly happy to never tesst it again," Salazar said fervently.

"Of cour--" Godric paused and blinked. "Er, _have_ you nearly been suffocated at some point? --Or should I not ask?"

Salazar blinked, then laughed a little. "Not yet. I jusst meant being hard to kill in general."

"Ah. No, not something to look for chances to test, generally speaking."

"Not that you _act_ that way," Helga jibed at him.

Godric grinned. "I don't test it on _purpose_. I just don't see any reason to hold back from a perfectly good experiment just because it might kill me."

"The fact that it might kill you ussually _iss_ conssidered a good reasson."

"I hate being tied down by the usual," Godric replied blithely. "I won't tell you two how to heal or brew if you don't tell me how to do MY experiments. I swear, she's gotten you on her side already."

"Don't worry," Helga said resignedly, "we just won't listen to you. And it's time we had someone else with a bit of common sense about..."

"MY kind of sense is uncommon," Rowena said loftily. "You just don't recognize it as such. At any rate," she continued, grinning, "I'm very glad you're staying as well, Salazar. Helga tells me you're a Parselmouth?"

"Yess. She tellss me you're likely to have quesstions?"

Rowena beamed at him. "I _always_ have questions."

"And _how_ long did it take her to ask him?" Godric murmured, grinning. "We're not supposed to wear him out now, remember?"

Rowena looked only slightly abashed. "True, true. My apologies, Salazar."

"No apologiess neccesssary," he replied, looking slightly bewildered. "I feel better now than I have in agesss."

"And you will probably feel better still if I listen to Helga properly and let you rest," was the gracious rejoinder.

"...As you wissh. I'd be happy to ansswer any quesstionss." A glance at Helga. "That'ss not too tiring."

"It can wait, really -- especially if you're staying -- unless you're bored?"

He hadn't stayed still this long for years. "Not esspecially, but...it sseemss the leasst I can do to ansswer a few quesstionss...."

"There's no hurry." She smiled at him again. "And you do still sound rather weary, I think."

He laughed slightly. "I cringe at how I musst have ssounded a few hourss ago."

"Intelligible," Helga offered with a hint of mischief in her voice. "No cringing required."

"Well, I ssupposse that'ss an improvement," Salazar said wryly.

"You're still intelligible."

"...I meant an improvement from when we firsst met."

"Ah. Well... yes, not the best time for conversation." Helga leaned in and squeezed his shoulder; from her, he managed not to flinch.

"No. But you managed to ssee passt that anyway. At leasst I know I can only improve from there."

"You seem to be very nice indeed whenever you're in your right mind."

"Damned by faint praisse?" Salazar chuckled. "Thank you. You sseem very nicce when I'm in my right mind too."

"Well, it wasn't meant to --" Helga broke off and shook her head. "Thank you."

"I know very well that you were being kind," he assured her.

"Again, thank you." Helga rubbed her hands together briskly. "Well, we should let you rest again, I think. There will be plenty of time for more questions."

Plenty of time. Salazar smiled over the thought as they bid farewell and left him to settle back into the impossibly soft mattress and pillows. They had plenty of time, because he was _staying_.

***** 


	2. First Moon

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Chapter 2: First Moon**

Salazar peered into a scrubbed cauldron, shining light into it from his wand and inspecting it for any flecks of material he might have missed. Nothing. ...Good. He straightened, reaching up uncomfortably to rub the back of his neck. He had an excuse this time. It did have a crick in it, from hunching over the cauldron when he was tense. Most of the time lately, though, he felt as if some sense were warning him of danger... only there was never anything there.

Except the waxing moon.

More than three weeks he'd been here, and after the first few days of recovery -- now there was luxury in itself, and beside that the _comfort_ here, and best by far the people who didn't....

Who he didn't _think_ feared him. Who said they didn't. Who had asked him to stay and willingly, eagerly helped to set up a place for him to do his brewing and experimentation and helped to stock it. It was still not very well established, but it was certainly getting there. Despite the work they'd done there since he'd been back on his feet, though, he couldn't help... wondering. They might come to their senses, they might change their minds, he might be out in the forest again when the change came after all....

He could handle that. He _had_, for so long.

So long. But he didn't want to do it again. If he could be safe... but could he? Were they sure? Better to be cast out again than break free and bite one of his hosts... friends? No one had said anything. He was divided in mind: on the one hand he dreaded it, dreaded speaking of it, what they might say; on the other... what did not mentioning it mean? Had they forgotten? Surely not. Was there something they didn't want to tell him? _What_?

"Salazar?"

It was a good thing he'd already straightened, or he would've hit his head on the side of the cauldron. "Godric. Hello," he replied mildly, while trying to restart his heart. "What bringss you here?"

"I was looking for you. Obviously, I suppose." Godric smiled briefly. "I didn't mean to startle you; Rowena keeps saying I should walk louder."

"That might help. I've known _cats_ who walk louder than you do." Salazar rubbed the back of his neck again, trying to look rueful instead of anxious. "I think I'm jusst a little...edgy."

"Mm. Because of the moon?"

Salazar felt a little 'pop' like a dislocated joint had just been pushed back into place. Someone was actually _talking_ about it! But the sensation was immediately followed by the same surge of pain after the relief. Was this it? Had Godric been elected to tell him to leave before he could cause any more harm?

"...Yesss. Mosstly. I...have been winding up my experimentss." _~In case I have to go. Please don't make me. I won't beg, but please...~_

"Ah. Yes, I suppose you wouldn't be able to check on them properly for a few days. I'd have offered, but I'm not sure whether you'd trust me with them." That sounded like it was supposed to be a joke, but Godric's tone was serious again as he added, "If you have the time, I've been working on your... chamber for the night of the full moon, and would appreciate it if you'd take a look and offer any advice you might have."

They weren't kicking him out. They weren't making him leave. He could stay. He could stay he could stay he could stay he could -- "I have the time, ccertainly," he managed to say quite calmly.

"Thank you, then. Would now be acceptable?"

"Of coursse." Salazar set the cauldron aside, his mind still chanting, _~I can stay I can stay I can stay,~_ over and over. "I'm really not ssure what ssuggesstionss I can offer. I've never been indoorss during a full moon before."

"Well, it seems you should at least have the chance to look it over first." Godric failed to make any more noise with his feet as they started down the hallway.

Salazar walked beside him, hands clutched behind his back despite trying to seem completely casual about this whole process. Who cared that he was going to spend the night of the full moon under the same roof as the only people who'd been nice to him since this curse began? He'd break out and bite them and -- He cut off that line of thought abruptly. NO. He _wouldn't_. He wouldn't.

...Although if he _did_, it would be easier to deal with death than his guilt.

"You're _ccertain_ there'ss no chancce I could be putting you three in danger? Sspellss can fail...."

"Well... that's true. But I don't think even a werewolf can claw through stone."

"I don't think sso. But I don't want to rissk you. Any of you."

"We'll take care of ourselves." Godric reached across and squeezed his shoulder. "We _have_ managed it once before, after all. And I'd feel it, if the stone went."

Salazar summoned a weak smile, feeling what was probably an inordinate amount of reassurance from a simple hand on the shoulder. But... if Godric would touch him, then Godric couldn't be too worried about everything.... "Forcce of habit, ssorry."

"...An admirable habit, I suppose, but not necessary at this point. Here --" They'd gone into an unfamiliar part of the building, one where the stone walls were still oddly seamless but tended to take strange shapes, some echoing natural caves, some subtly or wildly improbable, as if Godric had been playing with his skills at manipulating the rock.

There was one opening in the wall that apparently went nowhere; that was the one Godric had pointed to. It was deeper than it looked at first glance, actually, and Salazar peered in to find that it was shaped strangely like a very large egg.

He stepped inside gingerly, reminding himself that this would be his home one night a month for...however long they'd put up with him. He laid his hand flat against the wall, the stone cool beneath his palm, and slowly traced his hand around, feeling for any weaknesses or instabilities, cracks, holes, or... well, anything.

Godric was surprisingly patient, just standing there as Salazar even got down on his knees to test the floor in the same manner. Then the whole chamber glowed green for a moment when Salazar hissed a spell under his breath. The green glow shimmered and danced like flames for a handful of heartbeats, then disappeared into the stone.

Salazar stood back up and turned to face Godric again. "It'ss very ssturdy."

"It's meant to be. May I ask what that spell was?"

"...I usse it on my cauldronss, to tesst for any flawss I can't ssee. I don't mean to inssult your work."

Godric laughed. "I wasn't offended. I asked you to look it over, didn't I?" He stepped into the room himself and looked around at the curved walls. "Any suggestions?"

"I can't think of any. It'ss bigger than I wass expecting..."

"Is that a problem?"

Salazar laughed a little. "No. I'm ussed to much bigger sspacess, after all. Jusst when Helga firsst mentioned the posssibility of doing thiss, I wass picturing...sssomething like a sstone coffin, I ssupposse."

Godric winced slightly. "I thought you should at least have some room to move. I don't know whether it's possible to make it exactly comfortable -- I'm not sure how, say, furniture would work, though if you want any--"

"I'd jusst rip it to piecess by the end of the night," Salazar said uncomfortably. "Or break my teeth on it, if it'ss more sstone." The joke felt flat. "It'ss probably besst if there'ss nothing in here at all. Nothing to hurt. Maybe it'll be eassier with nothing here," he added hopefully.

"Blankets?" Godric offered. "I know, those tear easily, but there are some it wouldn't matter...."

"I don't think sso. I won't be doing any _ssleeping_ to worry about how hard the floor iss, and I have fur to keep me warm." This last was said with a very sour expression. Salazar didn't like thinking of his wolf form, of the one night a month he wasn't human anymore. Sometimes, when he thought he could feel the wolf snarling and pacing inside, he wondered if he was even really human the _rest_ of the month anymore.

"Well," Godric said quietly, "I was thinking of before and after the actual transformation."

"Before I'll be paccing," Salazar said shortly. "After...I wouldn't noticce anyway."

"Even so... well, as you wish."

"I wouldn't do anything but tear them up." Salazar snorted and rested his hand against the wall again, trying to fight down the tangle of unease and anxiety dancing a merry jig in his stomach. "Perhapss you sshould jusst throw in a nice bone or sssomething."

Godric turned suddenly and gently set his hands on both Salazar's shoulders. "Salazar. We will do...anything we can, to make this easier. I don't _like_ the idea of shutting a friend up like this, but I can't see any better way at this point..."

"Nothing can make this _easssier_!" Salazar exclaimed. "In a few dayss I'll turn into ssome mindlesss _monsster_ who would as ssoon kill you as look at you! Do you know why I like potionss, Godric? Everything iss nicce and neat and under perfect control. It all makess _sssenssse_." Salazar leaned against the wall and shut his eyes. "And in a few days, I will be completely without ssensse or control, and if ssomething goess wrong, I could hurt the firsst people who've been _nicce_ to me ssincce I was bitten. Nothing can make thiss eassier."

"Nothing will go wrong," Godric promised quietly and, Salazar thought, rather rashly. But it was nice of him anyway. "We will be careful, and we will pay attention, and we can take care of ourselves. You're not going to hurt any of us."

"It doessn't take as much to catch a wizard off-guard as we like to think. I could kill one of you. Worssse, I could _bite_ you." And if they didn't kill him during the attack, Salazar vowed to himself, _he_ would as soon as he'd regained his mind.

"Then you'd have company the next month." Salazar opened his mouth in horror; Godric cut him off. "But we aren't _going_ to be off guard. And I told you, I can feel the stone."

"Have you ever ussed it to imprisson a werewolf before?"

"No. But I could feel you running, a few weeks ago."

"Ssstill. Until you _have_..." Salazar broke off and sighed. "Oh what am I ssaying? I'll sstill be as worried if we've done thiss a _hundred_ timess."

"I'd rather hope that after eight years or so you'd have _some_ confidence in me," Godric said lightly. "We'll take care. And as soon as it's safe to, we'll open up the room again and take care of _you_."

Eight years. Eight _years_. Were they truly thinking of his staying _that_ long? Salazar couldn't even speak for a moment. "Thank you," he eventually managed in a hoarse voice that didn't sound like him at all.

"You're welcome. We'll manage. You'll see."

"I sstill don't know why you three are sso willing to go to all thiss trouble..."

"It's not _that_ difficult. As I'm sure you've noticed, I practice this sort of thing a fair amount -- this is just an application that's of some use to somebody." Of course, to be fair, so were the walls.

"Sstill. The preparation, the healing later.... It would be eassier to jusst ssend me into the foresst."

Godric shook his head. "It wouldn't be right. And it's worth it to have you around."

Worth it. No one _else_ had ever thought so. Salazar wasn't sure if he should be warmed or terrified. "...Thank you."

"You're welcome. Again." Godric gestured at the opening in the wall. "If you haven't got any suggestions, might as well come out of here. The stone is done except for sealing the door." He looked at the slightly thickened edges of the opening. "Or making the door, arguably."

Salazar stepped out of the egg and brushed off his robes. "I sstart to wish I'd been born with _your_ sskill insstead of mine. Being able to sseal mysself in ssounds far more useful than talking to ssnakes right now."

"You might have found some trouble getting _out_ afterwards, though, unless you'd had quite a bit of practice first."

Salazar shrugged and started off down the warped stone hallway. "It would be worth it. If I'd had a way to not be a danger, I might not've had to leave home." He paused, thinking of the way everyone treated him even during the month, then shrugged again. "Or maybe not."

Godric was silently pensive for a moment. "...I am sorry that you did. But pleased to have met you nonetheless."

"I'm pleassed to have met you. All three of you. You've already become the besst friendss I've ever had, but...I could wissh I'd come as a mere traveler, not..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence. Godric smiled a bit sadly. "So could we all -- but with things otherwise, we'll simply have to make the best of them as we can." He hesitated. "I'll wait with you, as long as it won't be a problem, if I may...."

Salazar couldn't help a slightly startled look, even though he _knew_ his new friends were, for some odd reason, not as worried about his condition as his old friends had been. But he smiled a bit and replied, "I...would like that. For a while. Not long enough to rissk, or even cut closse. Jusst promisse me that."

"I promise." His mouth quirked a little. "I wouldn't do that to either of us. Nor the ladies." Godric had seen the surprise, and it pained him. He had no greater desire to become a werewolf than Salazar had to make him one, though he refused to let dread of the idea influence him beyond what was practical, so it was an easy promise to make in one way -- but it was not going to be easy to close the stone.

He would do it anyway, of course. Rationally, he knew it was necessary. For that matter, he knew _he_ had less reason than most to feel horror at the idea of stone sealed around the living -- he knew he could get Salazar back _out_.

He didn't want to leave him in there longer than necessary, though.

Salazar's mouth curved a little more in response. "You ssay that as if you've never done a ssingle foolissh thing in your life, my friend. I haven't known you _long_, but even I know you better than that."

"The line between daring and foolhardy is a very thin one," Godric said wisely.

"And you dancce acrosss it gleefully every chancce you get."

"Well," and Godric appeared to consider this, "not _every_ time."

"I beg your pardon," Salazar apologized with a little bow. "Ssometimess you do ssomerssaultss acrosss it."

Godric snorted, furrowed his brow consideringly, and pulled out his wand.

When they met up with the ladies later, Helga and Rowena were tactful enough not to ask Salazar why he was cartwheeling through the hallways.

*****

The remaining few days passed far too quickly for Salazar's peace of mind, though part of him wanted it OVER with just so he'd know how bad it was going to be. The possibility that this _wouldn't_ work and they'd be forced to make him leave after all haunted him like a spectre. Every moment with his newfound friends was doubly precious and triply painful for the knowledge that it could all be over soon. He took to visiting the chamber several times a day, going over the walls obsessively for the most minute flaw.

The one time Godric came down when Salazar was performing an inspection, he just hovered outside for a few heartbeats, then smiled sadly and left without saying a word.

The day of the full moon dawned indecently bright and cheerful, but Salazar couldn't enjoy it. The ordinary restlessness was on him full force, combining with new nervousness to insure he couldn't eat a bite of any of the meals Helga tried to force on him. He spent the day with one eye on the sun, and was at the chamber a full two hours before sunset.

"Salazar, isn't this a little early?" Rowena asked reasonably enough. They'd followed him down, or joined him there; Godric had called Rowena out of her study. "If I understand correctly, it isn't possible for you to transform until the sun is down _and_ the moon is up, and it's not going to take Godric two hours to build a wall!"

"Then he can come back in two hourss." Salazar leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, and tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. "You all don't have to be down here."

"Well, at this point, neither do you."

"I think I'll stay," Godric said casually. "Unless you were trying to get some time to yourself, of course, but I'm sure you could find somewhere more comfortable for that."

Helga stepped carefully into the room, her foot nearly sliding on the smooth curve of the floor, and came over to take Salazar by one wrist. When he kept his arms folded, she sighed and just reached up to hug him. "If you feel better -- or safer -- for being here already, we'll be glad to keep you company."

"I'll feel better and ssafer when the three of you are on the other sside of ssolid sstone." Salazar hunched his shoulders in a little when Helga released him from the hug he was determined not to find as comfortable as he did. "And I sstill wish you'd agree to have weaponss with you, jusst in casse."

"We have our wands," Rowena pointed out logically. "And there _are_ three of us. We've been able to restrain you before. Stop worrying."

He smiled faintly and admitted, "I'm jusst ussed to sspending thiss time getting as far as posssible from any people. It feelss sstrange to have anyone elsse around."

"Get used to it," Helga suggested with a quirked smile and a warm tone. "I suppose if you'd really prefer it, Godric could close you in early -- but as there's no danger _yet_ we'd really rather...."

Salazar summoned a return smile and freed one hand to touch her shoulder lightly. "I don't believe I ever ssaid I'd _prefer_ it. I'm jusst....antssy." He brought his hand back to cross in front of him again, fighting the urge to tap his fingers or pace. "Like my sskin iss about to turn insside out. Oh, wait," he corrected himself with a weak smile. "It iss."

She squeezed his shoulder and then leaned on the wall beside him. "I'd tell you to rest," she said softly, "but I suppose perhaps you can't. Try to a little, though, and I could cast caduceus for you, if you think it would help."

Godric and Rowena were in the room as well now; it was a little crowded, but it held them without real difficulty -- a far cry from the coffin Salazar had imagined at first. He felt the clawings of panic -- from having people so close, in danger, but something else as well, maybe deeper, maybe not -- he began to feel trapped. Cornered. But he'd asked for that, for later, and for now -- close they might be, but even with the irrational fear that was sweet beyond measure, painfully so....

He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He reminded himself firmly that the three of them had managed to deal with him in his wolf form _before_ and come out undamaged, and by the time the moon came up they'd be on the other side of thick stone anyway. Something inside him shuddered and howled for the open sky, but he was used to keeping that part firmly shackled, no matter _how_ hard it was this time of the month.

"I don't think I could resst," he finally answered Helga, but added hopefully, "Caduceuss might help. It can't _hurt_ at leassst..."

"Close your eyes, then -- it might be better if you don't pace; we can give you room if you like, but with the illusion it might be confusing."

He closed his eyes, though they flickered open with a start at _Godric's_ hand on his shoulder -- but Godric, cat-quiet or not, was good with dogs and had somehow managed to hit on a subtle motion that almost -- almost -- soothed the wolf without seeming too terribly much like something one would use only on a beast.

"Hush," Godric said, and Rowena was murmuring charms in a thoughtful tone, ones that were meant to shield from harm and make one more resilient -- and calmer -- and Salazar appreciated the thought, even though he felt it all too likely that her spells would all shatter with the transformation and fall away.

Then Helga cast, and the staff and serpents shimmered in his mind's eye and whispered to him. Rest. Safety. The security of burrowing deep in a den, protected from everything by the reassuring earth all around him.

Salazar's breathing slowed as the hissed words wrapped around him and surrounded him and _penetrated_ him, relaxing what he held tight and tense. When the wolf inside howled for the open sky, the serpent hissed back soothingly that it was nice to lie out and sun for a while, but coming back to the den was right and proper and so very comforting....

Godric looked up at Helga and raised an eyebrow as Salazar went nearly boneless beneath his hand. "I think I need to learn that spell."

"Don't let him fall," she whispered back with a faint smile. "And I can teach it to you, if you'll learn some more of the healing spells and swear to me not to misuse it -- not that I think you would." She looked at Salazar and reached up to push hair back from his forehead, feeling the skin and making a note to find out if that temperature was normal under the circumstances. "It's supposed to be soothing, but he does respond exceptionally well."

"The Parseltongue, perhaps?" Rowena suggested quietly, coming closer and helping Godric ease Salazar down to the floor. "He would find snakes more comforting than most, presumably, even if they're not speaking to him. And I'd like to learn as well." She looked down on Salazar's peaceful face. "To help Salazar, if nothing else."

Helga smiled. "Of course. I can teach you too..." She stroked his hair again. "And he says the spell does speak to him, though there's no doubt he's supplying that part of the illusion from himself."

"It's amazing what the mind supplies," Rowena murmured. "I wish I could come up with a way to make this easier..."

"We all do," Godric said quietly. "But...we're already making it considerably easier. There's no one for him to hurt, which is easier on his mind, and there isn't anything for him to hurt _himself_ with, so that just leaves the transformation itself. And Helga's standing by at moonset for that. It's the best we can do."

"Not enough," Rowena replied in a low tone, "but I suppose it will have to be for now."

Helga leaned down to kiss Salazar's forehead, very lightly. "At least he knows he has a home here."

"There is that," Rowena agreed, giving his ankle a reassuring pat.

But Godric sat in pensive silence as the time inched slowly by. Finally he carefully propped Salazar against Helga and stood, stretching. "It's right at sunset. The moon should be up soon. I think you should wake him, Helga."

She hated to remove that comfort, but it was necessary, and she did it. Salazar stirred, then shuddered and sat up with panic in his eyes, looking down at himself as if expecting to see the change beginning. "It's only just sunset," Godric said quickly. "There's time yet."

"Sssunssset already?" Salazar asked in disbelief. "But...it only ssseemed a moment..." He shook himself slightly, braced one hand against the wall, and stood. "You three ssshould go. You've already ssstayed too long. It'ss almosssst time..."

His sibilants were drawing out longer and longer as the agitation of the nearly-full moon quickly dispelled the calm of the caduceus. But even as he urged them to leave, his free hand was still holding tightly to Helga's.

Helga squeezed back hard and then wrapped her arms around him.

"We haven't stayed too long at all," Godric replied calmly, "and Helga's spell seems to have soothed you right to sleep, which is probably all to the good. We woke you because it _is_ almost time -- should we not have? We can let you sleep next time if you want -- but for now, I do need to close you in."

Salazar hugged Helga back tightly, pressing his cheek against her hair for just a moment. "No, it'sss better you woke me up." He hesitated, then hugged Helga again. "And thank you all for waiting with me."

"We did say we would," Rowena said simply. "And we will see you again, as soon as we may."

To have people _waiting_ for him, happy to see him again when he was human... He pushed the thought aside. He couldn't dwell on it, for what if something went _wrong_? If he didn't think about it, it wouldn't be as depressing...maybe. Salazar took a deep breath and released Helga, then hugged Rowena as well. They smiled at him and stepped out of the chamber. Salazar braced himself in the very center and nodded to Godric. "I'm ready."

God help him.

Godric shook his head and reached out to clasp Salazar's hand firmly, then stepped back, drawing him almost to the door as he himself finally stepped through. The opening was smaller already, Salazar saw, but Godric kept hold of him and didn't look away as it began closing further.

Salazar told himself NOT to clutch, no matter what his instinct was. It would hardly do to have Godric's hand caught in the stone. Salazar would be gnawing on it all night, which would certainly defeat the purpose of the chamber. So he only held it loosely, ready when Godric released with a final squeeze when the opening was so small Salazar could see nothing of him _except_ his hand. Then even that disappeared through the hole, which promptly shrank to nothing.

"We'll be waiting for you, my friend," Godric said quietly just as the hole closed completely.

Salazar let out a shuddering sigh and pressed his hand over the blank spot where the opening had been. Where his friends were waiting. He closed his eyes and took another ragged breath, then paced to await the moonrise.

It didn't keep him waiting long. He _knew_ Rowena kept good time -- but the last thought in his mind, the only one he had time for, at the moment the moon rose and the transformation took and before pain and the wolf wrested all thought from him, was that they had cut it much closer than he would have liked!

And then there was only feeling and instinct, things he would remember but that he had no power of reason to stop, as the change wrenched his body into the wolf-shape and he lunged at the last place memory told him there had been an opening.

Claws scrabbled against cold, solid stone and he snarled as his suddenly-sensitive nose caught the so-recent scent of PREY! Every instinct in his body sang a bloody-minded chorus, intent only on getting through this obstacle and reaching the prey being denied to him. He clawed and scratched until even the smooth stone started tearing at the pads of his paws, leaving streaks of red that just drove his blood lust even higher.

Kill kill kill kill destroy hurt kill kill KILL!!!

Denied prey, denied escape, he howled out his agony and frustration as he started hurling his body up against the unforgiving stone. Again and again, heedless of cracking bones or shooting pain except that it drove the blood lust higher and higher. He had to HUNT! Kills were out there to be made, prey taunting him just outside this strange barrier, and he'd destroy them all if he could just get THROUGH!

Finally, having no other source for the blood he craved, he ripped apart his own flesh, all the time howling for prey and in pain. Biting, scratching, ripping to shreds -- all the things he'd do to his prey as soon as he caught it. Just as soon as he got OUT!

Thankfully, the moon couldn't stay full forever, nor could even a werewolf sustain an endless rage. Eventually it began to wane, and the wolf loosed its hold on Salazar's body and mind. The furred limbs lengthened and smoothed over, the bloody paws replaced with feet and hands. Senses lost their sensitivity as the mind regained its, and blood lust faded as if it had never been.

Finally all that was left of the carnage was a battered human body huddled in the middle of the chamber, unable to move, and so wracked with pain he couldn't even moan.

*****


	3. Old Family and New

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone_Kore  
Chapter 3**

Salazar's friends had slept less than he that night, and when the full moon dropped entirely below the horizon they hurried to the chamber and Godric cold-melted the stone back as rapidly as he had ever moved it. And then froze in horror for a second at the sight. Only a second; then he forced his limbs to move, to step aside, and said hoarsely, "_Helga_--"

She darted past him with a soft gasp; Rowena covered her mouth as they followed the healer. "You two," Helga said in a low voice, crouching beside him, "help me -- we have to get him somewhere more comfortable, and I want to start the spells while we move him."

They lifted him delicately with feather-soft spells and carried him with smooth motions as Helga walked alongside. Godric shook his head. "It wasn't -- it wasn't this bad last time, was it, Helga? What have we _done_ to him?"

Rowena's voice had tears in it, though her eyes looked dry. "He must have tried to get out -- and turned on himself when he couldn't --" She swallowed. "And we thought this would be better than the silver."

"He was so against the idea of using silver. It horrified him," Godric said numbly. "He wouldn't have let us. But this.... He couldn't have expected...." His throat closed and he couldn't get anything else out.

"I was so sure we'd thought of everything," Helga said softly, her wand still busy. The first thing she'd done was cast Caduceus again -- if he'd ever needed the peace it brought him, it was now! But there was so much else to mend...

"We'll have to look into...other ways," Rowena said unsteadily. "There has to be something else we can do. Something more."

"I don't know. I thought we'd thought of everything," Helga repeated, crying now as Rowena and Godric settled him ever-so-gently on a soft pallet in Helga's infirmary. "There's so much damage.... He must have been in so much pain, the whole night...."

"So did we," Godric said softly, placing his hands on her shoulders. "So did we -- but," he swallowed, "he will still be glad to be sure of not having harmed anyone, I think, and your skills will do much for him. And we'll simply have to think of something else -- perhaps I did give him too much room after all --"

"Or we could give him something to hunt, perhaps," Rowena suggested, holding one of Salazar's hands comfortingly while Helga worked. "If he had a...rabbit or a pig or something to attack instead, he might not turn on himself." She leaned her head back against Godric's shoulder as he moved back to let Helga work. "Or perhaps Godric just needs to make softer stone."

"I could try that -- I would have to keep my mind on it to make it cushion the blows without giving way entirely, at least at this stage, but it's not as if my mind wasn't there _anyway_." Godric sighed. "Maybe both...."

Salazar chose this moment to regain some semblance of consciousness. He could hear their voices swirling around him, though he couldn't really focus on any of their voices without more effort than he really wanted to expend at this moment. He was dimly aware of pain -- pain _everywhere_ -- but he needed to see his friends first, just for a little while. Then he'd go back to sleep....

He pried his eyelids open a tiny bit, just enough to see Helga's face hovering just over his, her lips moving in muttered spells. She looked upset. She'd been crying. Had he managed to hurt someone after all? Salazar broke out in a cold sweat as he tried to force his mouth to work. "Ssssomeone hurt?" he slurred out at last. "Didn't work?"

Helga's eyes pooled with tears again, terrifying him, but she kept at her spells and wasn't the one to answer him. "You haven't hurt anyone else," Godric's voice said softly. "Only yourself -- and I'm very sorry for that...."

"Ssssorry?" Salazar repeated, his eyes closing and lips stretching in a blissful smile. "No one hurt. Worked. Thank you." He wanted to be more eloquent than that, but it was all he could manage right now.

"Obviously he can't count in this state," Rowena muttered. But... well, at least he was happy about it. That was something, even if the healing was going to be hard.

"I told you he'd probably just be happy that no one _else_ was hurt, regardless of the effect on _him_," Godric sighed. He reached out and touched Salazar's shoulder again, wishing he could do something more without disrupting Helga's work. "_You_ were hurt, Salazar, and that matters to us even if it doesn't to you. We'll try to find a way to make it better next time."

"I'll... recover." Salazar managed another weak smile in Helga's direction. "With thissss... tending, I'll probably be better than ussssual in a few dayss anyway.... Sss-"

"If you're about to apologize for my making the effort," Helga spared a breath to say, "don't."

"And you'll forgive us if we don't particularly _want_ to see our friend in such a state once a month," Rowena added dryly. "We'll find a way, you'll see. This was only the first try, after all."

Salazar shut his eyes and a few tears started to pool in the corners. Godric touched one lightly. "We have... a few ideas already. But that can wait until you're feeling better."

"I feel wonderful," Salazar replied hoarsely. He kept his eyes closed, trying to compose himself. "You're all ssstill _here_..."

"Of course we are. We did say we would be."

"Ssssaying and doing aren't the sssame," Salazar retorted softly. "I'm glad you're here."

"...No, they aren't. But I try. All of us do."

"I know." Salazar leaned his head back slightly and said dreamily, "It worked beautifully, Godric. I couldn't get out. It wasss wonderful..."

"You've got... an unusual definition of 'wonderful.'" Godric glanced at Helga as she nibbled on her lip and then lowered her wand. All she could do without giving him a chance to regain some strength -- at least the wounds were closed. "We'll try to get _you_ hurt less, next time..."

"Next time. You ssstill want a next time." Salazar reached out without opening his eyes and wrapped Helga's hand in his. "That'ss the wonderful part."

If she hadn't known how badly he had wanted friends, and how astonished he'd been to find them, she would have been half-surprised _he_ wanted a next time. "Of course we do. It's a wonder _you_ do, like this..." She drew a shaky breath. "You need water, and food if you can take it, and a wash and rest. I've done the best I can without wearing you out further."

"Of coursse I do. You three are the bessst thing that ever happened to me." He gave a contented -- and only slightly pained -- sigh. "Water and food and resst ssoundss wonderful." He smiled slightly. "As long as I don't fall asssleep in the ssoup."

"We promise not to let you drown." Helga gave him a tender smile in return. "And we've got the soup ready. I can clean you off magically, if you like -- a hot bath might help your muscles, but the food's a bit more urgent, I'm afraid."

"Then thank you. I'm ssure the ssoup iss wonderful." He smiled beautifically at her, an odd contrast to the pain still lurking in his eyes. "It'ss sso nicce to have friendss here."

She managed to smile back, a little more successfully now that the shock was over. "We're very fond of you too. Let's get you to bed, then."

"Mm. More women need to ssay that to me."

Godric snorted and patted Salazar's shoulder, still carefully. "I suppose that means you're feeling better."

"You're all...sstill here." Salazar pried his eyes open against their will. They were HIS eyes, he got to tell them what to do...at least for a bit longer.... "I'd ussually wake up...out in the woodss ssomewhere... and if I'd sseen anyone elsse I would have known I'd done the worssssssst --" He broke that off and took a deep breath.

"You haven't," Helga said softly, squeezing his hand. "Not now, and not ever, if we have anything to say about it. We'll just...have to find a way to make it less harmful for _you_ next time. But as Godric said, we're working on it. Now to get you cleaned up." She pointed her wand at him and said, "_Scourgify_."

The cleansing spell tingled, and Salazar thought it smelled of clean herbs -- and maybe a hint of silver, but not enough to hurt, and at any rate he was obviously imagining it since one could not exactly put silver into an incantation. He felt much fresher afterward; not as if he'd just had a bath, but certainly as if he had not gotten very dirty since his last one. "That'ss nice." He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Don't go to sleep just yet," Godric's voice said in his ear. "You need to eat, remember?"

Before he'd met them, eating after a full moon had to wait until he was in some shape to forage or hunt for himself, and preferably light a fire. But Salazar didn't mention that, didn't want to bring up how things had been before he met them. HE knew it had been a pale shadow of the life he enjoyed now, and that was enough. So he just smiled slightly as he opened his eyes. "Food ssoundss good. Thank you."

"Let's go then." He was being levitated this time, instead of lightened and carried -- probably because he wasn't half-frozen this time. No silver, probably... probably not very long on the stone; they'd promised...

He chuckled slightly. "I could get ussed to traveling like thiss. Where are we going?"

"Your room -- if that's all right? We'll bring the soup in, of course."

"Oh, of coursse. I wass sstarting to think the infirmary _wass_ my room by now," Salazar said with a wry smile. "I wass jusst hoping you didn't think I wass up to the Great Hall yet."

"Well, it's not as if we have guests," Rowena said in an amused tone that covered her uneasiness at his confusion. "I can't think it's the most comfortable room in the keep, though."

"Exccept for me. But I don't think I want to ssit at a table for a while, no matter how good Helga's sspellss are."

"Oh." Rowena gave him a wry smile she wasn't entirely sure he could see. "I wasn't really thinking of you as a guest."

Salazar's lips stretched in a smile so wide it was nearly painful. (Of course, _breathing_ was painful right now, so why not smiling too?) "That'sss.... I -- Thank you, Rowena."

"I think it's been a while since any of us have," Godric said gently.

"..._I_ have," Salazar replied after a long moment of silence.

There was a pause. "I'm sorry. We should have made it clear --" Godric looked down at him with a faint, wry smile. "Stop it. You're home. -- At least so far as we're concerned; I know there are...other places and people you miss."

"Yesss..." Salazar thought for a moment of his old home, of his welcoming mother, the father in whose footsteps he'd wanted to follow, his Gwen... his always-smiling sisters, the little brother who'd idolized everything Salazar had done...until he'd turned into a monster. He missed them so much it was like a physical ache, even after all the time and distance between them. 

But that place and those people would never -- _could_ never -- be his home again. This place and _these_ people were warm and inviting and didn't care that he was no longer entirely human. They liked him anyway. He let out another contented little sigh as the levitation spells settled him gently down on his own bed. "It'ss been a long time ssincce I had a home."

"Too long." Godric's voice, and Helga's in the background murmuring the spell to rearrange his cushions so he could eat. Salazar nodded agreement. "But we are glad of you now."

He _meant_ it. That was the strangest thing.

Rowena must have gone for the soup, because she came back in with the smell of it. Something that had stewed for a long time; there was meat in it, but too long prepared and mixed with the vegetables to bring to mind too sharply the feel of living flesh between his teeth.

Salazar tried to hold the bowl himself and sup, but his hands were shaking too badly. Helga pushed it gently back onto the tray. "Hold on. There's bread too." That was easier, though she soaked the first piece and popped it into his mouth for him, with a mischievous grin.

The wolf hadn't been gone long enough for Salazar _not_ to react to prey sticking its hand right into his mouth, but he was very stubborn and still physically very tired, so he fought it down to only a flash in his eyes and pulling back a little too quickly for politeness or comfort. He flushed in a combination of horror and embarrassment, averting his eyes as he broke off another piece of bread with shaking hands. "I can feed mysself, thank you."

"...I'm sorry." Helga sounded shaken herself; she had to know that he didn't usually flinch from them now, which meant she had to know that either she'd done something unusually alarming or he'd nearly...hurt her.... Salazar wanted to sink through the bed and hide. Just after all they'd said, and he'd gone and nearly -- nearly bitten down on her -- he couldn't remember anything for sure about if a bite from a werewolf in human form would have the same horrible result, but who'd take the chance... He felt her fingers brush his hair delicately back from his forehead. "I'm sorry, Salazar. I shouldn't have tried to take over."

"_You're_ ssorry," he sighed in wearied disbelief. WHY did everything have to be so complicated? Why couldn't he just be with his friends, ill or not, and _relax_ around them without risking...the unforgivable? "I...would jusst rather do it mysself. ...Thank you."

"Very well." Helga didn't move away from him, though, and he half felt she should but was so very gratefulshe didn't. But then, she'd carried him that first morning without apparent concern for exposing her throat to him, too.

"It wouldn't have changed her, I think," Godric said after watching Salazar eat -- very tensely -- for several moments. Salazar nearly upset his bowl. "I've _been_ bitten by an untransformed werewolf -- long story -- and it didn't take."

"You -- what -- you could have _mentioned_ earlier!"

"I didn't think about it. It never came up before." Godric's expression was distant. "She was only eight years old, and if I hadn't let go of her when she did, someone else wouldn't have caught her and...worse after."

"...Only eight?" Salazar said softly, with a slight shudder. Attacking a child was an even worse nightmare than attacking another person. He wondered briefly how the person who'd turned her had lived with himself... if he had. "I'm ssorry, I won't assk."

"If anyone has the right... but that's another reason I do not bring it up often."

Salazar shook his head. "You don't want to talk about it... and I don't want to know." He returned his attention to his soup, though his hands were shaking even more now.

It seemed there was little comfort to be offered, at that, so Godric nodded and they fell silent until Helga offered more bread. And smiled, gently, into his eyes, without that uneasy glance at his mouth that most of the very few people who even tried to be polite after finding out what he was tended to give. He couldn't have blamed her at this point, either....

He wasn't as ravenous as he was used to being after a transformation. Of course, that probably had something to do with eating well the rest of the month, and it wasn't as if he lacked appetite nonetheless, even if his stomach tried to turn over a few times with the thoughts of the little girl and of nearly biting Helga.

...He didn't remember THAT spell from before. He'd missed the incantation, but it felt as if something cool were running over all his bones and washing the aches from their twisting away. He dropped a sop of bread into the soup. "What wass that?"

"A new one, for me; I've been practicing. It's directed at the tendons." Helga aimed at the bowl and levitated the bit of bread out; he picked it out of the air.

"It feelss good. Very good." His hands were still shaking, but that was probably more emotional than physical. The _rest_ of him wasn't shrieking in pain, at least...

"Excellent," she said with satisfaction. "It's supposed to." She patted the back of the hand he was resting against the bowl as he ate the soaked bread carefully, to avoid dripping. "And you don't seem to be too much affected otherwise, which means I can probably go ahead with some of the others -- I'll let you know if you need to be still for any, or keep them to later."

"I'm sstill not ussed to feeling thiss good sso ssoon after a full moon," Salazar admitted with a bit of a smile, finishing off the soup. "I could get ussed to thiss."

"That," Rowena murmured, "was the idea."

"Yes," Helga agreed. "And you have excellent timing, by the way; you might want to lie back a bit for this one." She paused, then added, "And maybe shut your eyes."

He obediently lay back and closed his eyes. "How is my timing exccellent?"

"You finished eating before I got to this one," she replied cheerfully.

She cast with motion only, no incantation, but Salazar felt it -- warmth this time, sliding deep into every place he'd bruised or bitten himself and healing better than the quick closure-spells had been able to do. His eyes drifted open without his really intending it, and he jumped; Godric put a hand on his shoulder.

That might have been why she'd said to shut his eyes. The magic was visible and very bright, and it glimmered yellow in places, but most of it looked like glowing silver. But it didn't hurt, so it must only be the color. Magic looked that way sometimes.

"...I never thought I'd like anything sssilver thiss much," he said slowly. But he closed his eyes again all the same. "Thiss iss...hsssssss." He trailed off into inarticulate hissing as the warmth penetrated even deeper. Now he understood what the lazy, contented hissing from snakes stretched out on a nice rock in the sun was _really_ about.

"Well, it only looks that way, really, though that ispart of the usual visualization to learn it..." The pillows shifted under him, lowering him further as the bright haze continued settling into bruises and shining light-shards dived into where the cuts had been -- he could see flickers of light even through his eyelids.

"It _looks_ for all the world like knives with no handles, in places," Godric said bemusedly.

"To cut the pain," Helga replied flippantly. "No, seriously, it's a matter of how it's focused."

The warmth lingered for a while even after she completed that spell and went to work with the last few, then propped him up again gently and slipped her arm behind his shoulders. "Here. You should have some more water, I think."

"Hsss," he agreed contentedly, leaning against her comfortably. She was almost as warm as the spell, and softer. His eyes were still closed, but she smelled restfully of jasmine and mint. It really wasn't right to feel _this_ good only the day after a full moon!

Then he realized he was practically burrowing into Helga and the warmth was suddenly due to a heated blush as he straightened. "Water. Yess, thank you."

It didn't help that Helga was trying and failing to give Godric and Rowena a stern glare for exchanging what appeared to be a meaningfully amused glance until they stopped and tried to look innocent. Helga shook her head at them and offered him the cup without moving away. "Here. And try not to mind their antics."

"If I can't undersstand them, I jusst try to ignore them," Salazar said wisely, sipping from the cup. He noticed that Helga had _not_ pulled away. She was...very kind to him. "It ussually workss well."

"As long as they don't decide they _must_ get your attention, at any rate." She grinned at him.

"Thankfully my attention iss not sso ssought after."

"Well, we could _try_," Rowena offered mischievously, "but perhaps we shouldn't distract you?"

"From drinking? I realizze I'm in bed, but I'm not _that_ ssick. I'm perfectly capable of drinking water and sspeaking to you at the ssame time."

"Well, that _might_ depend on what I said, but very well..."

"I can think of very little you'd be likely to ssay that would prevent me from drinking." He could think of _many_ things she _could_ say, but he honestly didn't think they were too likely anymore... He hoped.

"Oh... well... I probably _shouldn't_, but how about that I _meant_ perhaps I shouldn't distract you from Helga?"

"I'm ssure sshe is capable of healing with or without my attention. Sshe'ss done sso before with me unconssciouss, after all."

"Her skills are certainly not in the least doubt."

"And MY sskillss are ccertainly not needed for thiss. Haven't you been healed before, Rowena?"

"Quite a few times." She smiled at him.

He shook his head slightly. "Then I'm not ssure why you're sso confused."

She grinned. "I don't think I'm confused in the least. The healing's over for the moment anyway, I believe."

"Sso it iss." Salazar decided to follow his own advice and ignore her now that she was confusing him. He turned back to Helga instead. "And a wonderful job as alwayss."

"I try." She smiled at him, at close range; Salazar noticed that she looked faintly pink herself. Exertion maybe.

"I hope you didn't tire yoursself too much," he said solicitously. "If you needed to leave ssomething undone until _you've_ ressted ssome, I ccertainly wouldn't complain. I'm ussed to healing much sslower."

"Hm?" Helga looked a bit startled. "No, I'm well. I do need to let these spells settle a bit, though, until I can see if I need to do more of them." She smiled with a hint of shadow behind her eyes. "Injuries are easier than illness to cure, often, though broken bones still take some time."

If only she had a spell to take away lycanthropy, Salazar thought wistfully, then shook himself firmly. He had more now than he'd ever dared to _dream_ of before. He should be satisfied. "You do an exccellent job. I wass never much of a healer, though I became ssomething of one out of necesssity. I sstill don't think I wass properly healed ssince I wass bitten, until I came here."

"It's small wonder you couldn't trust us at first." She brushed a falling lock of hair back from his face again. "It worked more easily this time, by the way, even though the injuries were worse. But I still think that if you can, you should try to eat the day before next time."

He made a face, though his head tilted slightly into her hand. "Then all I want to eat is raw meat, and even _I_ don't find that appetizing."

Helga grimaced, more in annoyance than disgust, and stroked his cheek lightly. "...That _would_ be a problem. Perhaps we can find some way around it, though."

His eyes were half-closed, his head still tilted against her hand. "Hmm? Oh, yess, that. I don't know; I'm not ssure I'd be able to keep anything _elsse_ down anyway. I'm too antssy then. It'ss like danccing on coalss."

"The caduceus did seem to help with that, though, at least a bit. Perhaps if nothing else will work, a thin broth? You managed water well enough."

"The caduceuss wass _wonderful_," Salazar said feelingly. "But it makess me ssleep, and I can't eat in my ssleep. Broth would probably be all right."

"We'll try the broth then. And you were quite tired by the time I tried that spell anyway, I think; had you slept the night before, either?"

Salazar blushed a bit. "...Ssome. It jusst getss harder and harder to ssleep the more full the moon iss. I only ssleep the whole night when the moon iss new."

"That must be annoying. Or at any rate very tiring. Perhaps the caduceus could help with it, at least for a while...."

"You get ussed to it after long enough. I'm not ssure what I'd _do_ with that much ssleep any more."

"Well... as you like."

Salazar realized abruptly he was sounding very ungrateful. "I'm ssorry. I'll be happy to try anything you ssuggesst. I jusst don't want you to think you _have_ to do anything."

"I wouldn't mind, and I didn't mean to push. I was just trying to think of a way to help."

Salazar was silent for a moment, then said quietly, "It'ss nicce having ssomeone to pussh."

"Well. I'll still try not to be too annoying about it."

He smiled up at her, only then realizing that he was still leaning his head against her hand. He still didn't seem in a terrible hurry to move it. "You haven't been annoying in all the time I've known you, Helga."

She chuckled. "Well, thank you. I assure you I can be, unfortunately, but even so."

"I doubt it. Godric I can believe that of, but not you."

"Ah, he remembered we're here," Godric murmured in a highly amused voice to Rowena. "I feel all warm inside, don't you?"

"Oh, very," Rowena agreed.

"I didn't _forget_," Salazar protested.

"Didn't you?" Rowena asked with a grin.

"No. You two," Salazar pronounced in tones of a great revelation, "are very, very sstrange."

"We know. You can go back to flirting with Helga now," Godric suggested with a grin.

Helga turned very pink. Salazar's face took on a lovely shade of fuschia and he sputtered, "I'm not -- I wouldn't -- I'm _married_, Godric!"

"Oh." Godric blinked. "You hadn't mentioned. Never mind, then."

Helga finally _did_ sit back slightly. "I didn't mean to give the impression --"

"_You_ didn't do anything," Salazar assured her, glaring at Godric. "I'd have _mentioned_ it if I wanted to dissscussssss it." He was nearly shifting into Parseltongue for the last words.

Godric lifted his hand slightly and let it fall. "Never mind, then. My apologies to you both."

Salazar looked away as a moment of awkward silence descended. Finally he said in a very quiet but fast voice, "Her name wass Gwen, we'd been married for three monthss when sshe died and I wass bitten, and you're never to mention it again." He set his jaw, looked back at Helga, and said resolutely, "Sso you think Caducceuss would help me ssleep?"

Helga swallowed and had to try twice before her voice worked. "I don't know," she said quietly. "It did once."

"It'ss worth a try," Salazar murmured. "I wonder if it would work if I casst it on mysself. I don't want to make you do it all the time."

"I did say I'd teach it to you. I should have made time to begin by now."

"I didn't know if it wass possible to casst it on onesself even if I knew it. Or if it will fade as ssoon as I fall assleep and make me wake up again."

"I've never tried casting it on myself. It should be possible, and I think it would have to be botched very badly to cause harm, but beyond that I don't know how extensive the effects would be."

"Then it can't hurt to try," Salazar shrugged. He cast a quick glance at Rowena and Godric, who were being far too quiet, for them, then raised an eyebrow at Helga. "And now we're sstarting to ssound like _them_, disscussing nothing but ssspellss."

Helga shrugged slightly in her turn. "That has its merits, as a topic."

Salazar sighed. "I'm ssorry for managing to ruin the disscussion."

"You didn't."

"_Ssomething_ did, and timing pointss to me." Salazar leaned his head back against his pillows. "Perhapss I sshould get ssome ssleep."

"Perhaps you should." She tapped the pillows with her wand, and they shifted gently beneath him again. "Rest well."

He didn't mention that it was too close to a full moon for him to really rest well. They might stay then. And after years of wishing someone -- _anyone_ -- would want to be around him after a full moon, Salazar suddenly found he was far too crowded.

"Good night."

"...Good night."

Helga hesitated in the doorway, then turned back and raised her wand, and cast the healer's illusion spell on him before she walked away.

Salazar let out a slow, contented breath as the staffed serpents appeared in his mind and started hissing comfortingly. His last coherent thought before he fell asleep was that he _definitely_ needed to learn this spell.

But when he slept, he dreamed of Gwen, and Helga, and a giant wolf stalking them both.

*****


	4. Apologizing Too Much

_This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Chapter 4**

Salazar woke, breathing deeply to try to calm himself, and found himself in a perfectly safe, cheerful, familiar room that smelled of soup. This was probably because there was a steaming bowl of it on the table; someone must have brought it in.

He couldn't believe he'd brought up Gwen, especially not like _that_. But Godric had so taken him by surprise... Not that there was anything _wrong_ with flirting with Helga, of course. She was a lovely and kind woman. Any man would be lucky to have her affection. But he hadn't been trying to lead her on; hadn't even _thought_ his teasing would be interpreted that way. His instinctive reaction to Godric's words was so surprised because... well, he was _married_!

But he wasn't, not anymore, and it was his fault....

It had just been so long since he'd had anything resembling a normal home. Being on the move again every month precluded any real discussion of his personal life, and _he'd_ tried his best not to think about what he'd lost any more than he had to.

He should probably apologize to Godric. And Helga. And Rowena, just to make it all-inclusive.

Salazar sighed and pulled the tray over to him. He'd eat first. Maybe some solution would magically appear at the bottom of the bowl.

It didn't, though a lot of vegetables, some meat, and something that seemed to have cooked itself into a sort of enjoyable paste turned up in various portions of the broth. Someone tapped on his door as he was finishing. "...Come in," Salazar called out cautiously.

"Ah, awake at last," Rowena said cheerfully, stepping inside and looking approvingly at the now-empty bowl. "We've been checking every now and then all afternoon. You _were_ tired, weren't you?"

"Yes." He summoned a wry smile, amazed all over again at finding himself already recovered enough to hiss less. "It's a fairly strenuous event. I... do appreciate the trouble all the rest of you went to."

"Trouble? I don't recall any trouble. Just Godric getting a chance to practice with his stone some more and Helga trying out a new healing spell. Not a bit of trouble for anyone." She touched his hand lightly. "Except for you. If we'd had any idea being confined like that would have such a result...."

"You really don't... understand, I think -- it's worth it. So very much worth it -- a few bites, to know I can't have hurt anyone, and then you let me resst."

"You're right," she replied softly, wrapping both her hands around his and turning it over gently. "I don't understand. I don't see how going through such pain can possibly be worth it, when it _still_ makes my heart ache to think of how we found you after. I'd thought you would wake up begging us to find another way. Instead you called it wonderful." She was silent for a moment, her fingers lightly playing with his hand. "I don't think I've really understood what you went through before you came here. But even not understanding, I'm sorry for it."

"I... it was more painful for a little while, I suppose, but not... it always hurts. It's the nature of the transformation. I didn't have to -- I was worried, but I didn't have to be afraid I'd hurt any of you -- or anyone -- and I feel far, far better now than I usually would." He hesitated. "Most months, after the transformation was over, I would use magic to pick myself up and find a place to hide until I felt I could look for something to eat. This -- you three -- you've kept me from hurting anyone, healed me and fed me and given me a safe placce to rest, and you --" He had to swallow. "You sssaid I was home."

"The first four _anyone_ should've been willing to do, if they had the ability. Had you been a bitter nasty old man who spent his spare time practicing hexes on our chickens, we still would have done all that. As for what I said...I would have said it sooner if I'd known you doubted. Salazar, we _like_ you. I never had a brother, but you're what I'd imagine one would be like. If a little care and tending once a month is the cost to have you around, we all pay it gladly."

"That...is rarer than you seem to think. I can't _blame_ anyone for not wanting me to stay; I -- I am very grateful." He managed to smile through the threat of tears. "And I like the three of you very much also."

"Good. Because as far as I'm concerned, you're stuck with us for a very long time."

"I would ssay," Salazar began, then had to stop and swallow, "that I can certainly live with that."

"Well, I would hope so! Helga's put _far_ too much work into you for you to die now." Rowena's voice was tart but with a teasing note. "Besides, I have too many potions to learn from you still."

"See, ssome people would suggest that I should stop inconveniencing her," Salazar pointed out lightly. He needed to apologize, too. But he wasn't sure quite how....

"As I said, you've given her the chance to work on some new spells. And the most important part, of course, is that she certainly seems to enjoy spending time with you."

He winced at that; not that he wasn't pleased to be enjoyable company, but... "Ah, that reminds me -- I wanted to apologize...."

She blinked at him. "For being enjoyable company? Salazar, has anyone ever told you that you apologize too much?"

"No, no, for -- I was very rude earlier -- I should probably have apologized to Godric and Helga first, but you're here --"

"I don't recall a time when you were the least bit rude," Rowena replied. Then it hit her. "Oh. Salazar, that wasn't rude. You had every right to be upset at teasing, and I don't blame you for not wanting to talk about it. If I lost...." She stopped and shook her head. "I assure you, no one took offense."

"I... appreciate that. But I was very abrupt." He paused. "I had not... thought... or expected...."

"Hmm. Neither had we, or I promise you Godric wouldn't have said that. You've spoken so seldom of your family... which is your right, of course," she added quickly so he wouldn't think she was prying for details.

"That's... I'm not accustomed to having occasion." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I should not have forbidden him to speak of it again; I know it wasn't intentional...."

"I tell you again he took no offense. If you wish to remove the prohibition, you still can, of course. And if you DO wish to speak of...anything to any of us, we wouldn't mind. I know _I_ wouldn't."

"I... thank you."

"And if you never want to talk about it again, that's perfectly fine as well. Now then, did you want some more soup?"

"Ah...." Salazar blinked, slightly disoriented by this practical change of topic, and then nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled at him and flicked her wand to summon another bowl of soup from the kitchens. If Godric or Helga ran across the bowl floating through the air, they'd know Salazar was awake and come by as well. Rowena rather hoped he'd decide to talk some more, but didn't want to push, not after how he'd reacted to Godric. "It's good your appetite's up."

A smile flickered like a serpent's tongue. "I said I had trouble sleeping after the full moon, not eating."

"And you said you had trouble doing both _before_," she countered, returning his smile with a grin of her own that showed a dimple in one cheek. "So I'm glad to see you eating, since I know you've been doing quite a bit of sleeping already!"

"The initial exhaustion always helps to start," Salazar agreed. "Helga's spell is very helpful, though... I really must learn it from her."

She's been teaching Godric and me already, actually. It's not that difficult once you get the knack."

"I wonder if they always talk?"

It took a few moments of blinking before she figured out he meant the serpents in the Caduceus illusion. "Oh! No, they don't. Not to me, at least, and Godric said he didn't hear anything either. But then, we're not Parselmouths, so we wouldn't understand them if they _did_ say anything." She leaned forward with a look of insatiable curiosity. "What DO they say?"

"That's what I wonder -- whether they say things only to me, or if they always say what the caster means, only it's usually not consciously understood... They always speak to me of... safety, mostly."

"That's a very effective thing to talk about when you want someone to calm down, I suppose," Rowena said with a smile. "I suppose we'll have to wait until we find another Parselmouth to experiment on before we know for sure."

He chuckled. "It's a pleasant experiment, at least. How does it work for you? The soothing?"

"Not as well as it does for you!" she chuckled. "It's just a general feeling of... well, peace. Comfort. It doesn't seem to be coming directly _from_ the serpents; they're more of a focal point. But then, I've never seen _anyone_ react to it the way you do."

Salazar blushed faintly. "Well -- Helga did say that it helped if the patient already associated the symbol with healers. I imagine it might not work so well for someone who disliked snakes."

"That's a sensible assumption. We'll have to test _that_ on someone as well. Though it should be easier to find a person who doesn't like snakes than another Parselmouth." She grinned at him. "See, you inspire all _sorts_ of experiments."

"I think you might find such an individual less enthusiastic, though," Salazar felt compelled to point out.

"Hmm, true enough. Well, I'll think on it. Oh, here's your soup. I was starting to think it had been hijacked." Rowena looked up as a fresh bowl of soup floated into the room, followed by a grinning Godric.

"It was. I ran into it and decided to follow. 'Lo, Salazar. Feeling better?"

"Considerably." Salazar gave the bowl a hopeful look; Godric laughed and directed it onto his tray. "Ah, Godric, I wanted to apologize for snapping at you this morning...." It occurred to him belatedly that this was perhaps not the best phrasing.

"If memory serves, you were snapping at Helga, not at me. Don't worry about it in either case." Godric pulled a chair up to the other side of Salazar's bed from where Rowena sat and settled down. "It's understandable, and I told you it wouldn't affect us anyway."

Salazar covered his eyes for a moment. "Still better not to take chances, and I didn't -- quite -- but -- oh, blast it. I was _trying_ to apologize for speaking sharply."

"Oh." Godric blushed slightly. "My mistake. Though you don't need to apologize for that _either_. Lord only knows how many times _I've_ snapped, and over less. I shouldn't have pushed at you, and _I'm_ sorry for that."

"You didn't know."

"No. But I still wish I hadn't said anything."

"Not your fault. It wass jusst.... unexpected."

"I can imagine it would be." A pause. "And if I'm still forbidden to say anything, I'll shut up now, but if you _do_ want to... I don't know. Talk or something. That's fine too."

"That was... rash of me. You aren't, but I -- there isn't that much to say." And far too much to feel.

Godric shrugged with a little grin. "It's nice to know I'm not the only rash one, actually. Rowena can't tease me as much now."

"I'm sure I can find one or two reasons," Rowena murmured.

"I'm sure you can," Salazar agreed with her. It got them off the subject....

"Ah, but then I find ways to tease her right back, and that's the most fun," Godric told him with a broad wink. "If you're very nice to me, I'll let you join in."

"Ah, but will I?" Rowena asked with a grin.

"And did either of you ask for my permission for teasing ME? Permission of the teasee is not required, my dear."

"Perhaps not," Salazar remarked, "but I doubt I would much like her vengeancce...."

Godric's eyebrow arched up. "Oh, so you think MINE would be pleasant, then? Hmm. It might be amusing to... teach you the error of your ways."

"Not pleasant. But it has been my experience that often it is wiser not to cross the female...."

"Isn't that usually mothers?" Helga asked innocently as she escorted a third bowl of soup in. "Not, mind you, that I am arguing with the sentiment."

Salazar smiled immediately at her entrance, though he eyed the bowl warily. "I said I didn't eat _yesterday_, not for an entire week, you know."

"Well, it'll keep warm until you do want it." She smiled back.

"It looks wonderful," he assured her. "I'm sure it will taste the same."

"How are you feeling? I looked in on you a few times earlier, and didn't sense anything further to be done at the moment, but if you're uncomfortable beyond being tired I can see what I can do."

"Just tired, and a little sore. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to feel like this.É Thank you so much."

"That counts as wonderful, hm? You're very welcome, of course..." She waved her wand and appeared to stare at invisible results, then nodded. "Right. Most of what you need now _is_ rest, and that's easy enough to provide."

"Of course it counts as wonderful." Salazar gave her a somewhat confused look, then shrugged. "I'm happy to rest, believe me. It still feels strange, but I'm happy to try."

"Mm. You'll get used to it." She touched her fingertips to his forehead thoughtfully. "I can bring you something for the soreness if you like -- I'm not as good at potions as you, but I'm not incompetent either..."

Salazar looked slightly sheepish. "I... already brewed something, a few days ago. Not that I don't trust your skills, but I knew what I would need -- or rather want, now that I can have it." He shrugged and pointed to the desk. "It's in the green bottle in the bottom drawer."

"Oh, good planning then." She crossed to the desk and retrieved the bottle for him. "You hadn't mentioned."

"I've been asleep or eating most of the time," he admitted with a wry smile. He swallowed directly from the bottle, measuring it out only roughly. A little extra wouldn't hurt anything. "It's been a long time since I had a stillroom, but I still remember what to do."

"I rather thought you would." She sniffed curiously at the bottle before putting it away.

The potion started to spread cool fingers through his body, gently soothing away the lingering aches. Salazar thought that it was very pleasant but not as nice as Helga healing him, wondered fleetingly what inspired _that_ thought, and colored just a little as he looked back up at his friends. "It's very effective."

"I don't think I'm familiar with this one -- for muscle aches, I take it, but I don't recognize the combination." Helga glanced at him. "Is there a heating component? You look a bit flushed."

"Erm...no, it's unrelated." Salazar decided the best explanation at this point was none, so plowed gamely on. "I'd be happy to share my recipes. They're not as good as you, but I'm ussed to them."

"I've no doubt at all that they're better than mine, actually -- I learned what I needed, of brewing, but it's never been my best skill."

"But your other healing skills more than make up for any lack."

She laughed. "Thank you. Still -- if you'd be willing to assist or teach me in this area..."

"Of course. It's the least I can do for making you heal me once a month."

"Making me? I don't think I so much as suggested I might object." She smiled at him. "I assure you I don't mind, even if for your sake I wish it weren't necessary."

Why wouldn't these people even let him show proper gratitude? "Well, I'm still glad of it, and would be happy to teach you anything you wish to learn."

"I'd appreciate that."

"If this is going to turn into a potions discussion," Godric spoke up suddenly, standing and stretching, "then I'm going to plead other engagements and leave. I have an experiment to check up on."

"Oh! Dinner!" Rowena blurted, jumping up as well. "Oh dear, I nearly forgot. Excuse us, Salazar, Helga."

Helga watched them leave, then turned to Salazar, blinking. "Did that sound to you the way it did to me?"

"...I'm not sure, but I'm still glad I'm eating invalid food instead of dinner with you three."

"Hmm. It did then -- though Rowena did make your soup."

Salazar eyed the bowl as if he expected it to begin tap dancing around the room at any moment. Though truthfully, that wouldn't be too unusual here. He finally pried his eyes away from it and looked back at Helga somberly. "Since they've left, there's something I needed to tell you. I -- well, not that they _can't_ know, but I'd already told _them_ and I doubt they want to hear me babbling again and -- I'm babbling now. I'm ssorry." Salazar stopped and took a breath. "I wanted to apologize for my reactions earlier. I had no right to speak to any of you that way, and I'm sorry."

Helga looked bewildered. "...What way? I don't recall you saying anything untoward.... _Oh._ About -- well. I'm sure you had the right to be upset. I certainly wouldn't hold it against you, and I can't imagine they would."

He shook his head. "WHY do the three of you persist in doing this? I was rude, it certainly isn't my right to forbid anyone of speaking of anything, and I'm _apologizing_ for it!"

She considered this. "Very well. Apology accepted. But it is harder to blame than to forgive your speaking sharply over having just been... teased over a hard subject."

"A subject none of you had any way of knowing was painful, so I had no call to sspeak sharply. And...." He flushed a dull red. "I'm alsso sorry if I was... acting improperly, for Godric to have ssaid anything...."

"No," Helga said hastily, but her cheeks went a bit pink as well. "You didn't, and if... well, if he thought something objectionable he would not likely have approached it by making a joke. You were in no way at fault. And I... certainly didn't intend to be."

"No. No, you weren't. At all. It's... just hard to tell when Godric is joking sometimes...." As Salazar's voice trailed off, he tried frantically to calm his blushes and wondered what on _earth_ had inspired him to bring this up again.

"Ah. Well. It was, I think, true enough that he thought we -- were flirting, or wanted to be. I didn't mean to give such an impression -- either to you or to onlookers to allow such jests...." She glanced away. "It had not occurred to me that I might be giving any hint of impropriety until... well."

"I didn't think you were in the least improper," he assured her earnestly. "I'm sure that any faults were mine, and I'll do my best to restrain my comments in the future." Because he had _no business_ conveying any such impression, Salazar reminded himself firmly and with a hint of bitterness. He couldn't risk harming anyone, couldn't risk... anything, after what had happened to poor Gwen.

...And besides, even if she didn't recoil in horror from him, a woman such as Helga would hardly be interested in a part-beast.

"I had found nothing improper in your behavior, either."

"...Well then. Godric was just being...Godric, then." Salazar shrugged a little. "I'll sstill try to watch myself in the future. I wouldn't wissh to harm your reputation in any way."

"I somehow doubt it's in any danger; even if they _did_ think anything, they're not much for gossip."

"True enough."

"So. Nothing to worry over."

"...I suppose not." He wished for a moment that she _did_ think it was something to worry about, then told himself he was being an idiot and should be glad he had the chance to just be friends with her. And Godric and Rowena, of course. Right.

"And, of course, I would not wish you to...do anything you felt would dishonor your Gwen."

Hearing her name spoken suddenly made his throat tighten. He wished for one wild moment that he hadn't removed the restriction against speaking of her, then remembered that he had no right to demand such a thing anyway and he was just being foolish. It had been _years_! "Nothing I do or sssay now is likely to dishonor her," he finally managed to say tightly.

"...I'm sorry. I -- I shouldn't have -- I'm sorry," Helga said again, then swallowed. "Forgive me."

"No -- No, please, you don't have anything to apologize for. I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to ssnap again. You jusst caught me off-guard and... nothing I do now can harm her anymore," he finished very quietly.

"You didn't snap." Helga's eyes were on her fingers as she interlaced and then spread them. Fidgeting. "It was... the look in your eyes. I should have spoken more carefully, or not at all."

"...We are friends. You can sspeak of what you like. I know it wassn't in contempt or ill-intent."

"We are friends," Helga repeated gently, "and therefore I should have a care as to your feelings."

"...I have no right to protest in the first place," Salazar said very quietly. "I'm sorry, I ssshould never have brought it up."

"Salazar." There was the slightest hint of hesitation before Helga took his hand and gripped it tightly. "Wherever do you get that idea?"

"Never mind, Helga. Jusst....never mind."

"...Very well. But -- you may tell us, or decline to tell us, whatever you like."

"There's nothing to tell. Nothing at all." But he was gripping her hand back very tightly.

"As you like." Her voice was soft. But she brought her other hand up to the back of his, and she didn't let go.

He spat out something in quiet but virulent Parseltongue.

"...I'm sorry?" Helga asked a bit uncertainly, sitting back a little without pulling her hands away.

"There'sss nothing to tell. I told you, I can hardly hurt her any _more_ now. Ssshe....She was sso young, Helga...."

They both had been, unless she missed her guess. "I'm so sorry." She freed one hand to lay tentatively against his cheek.

"It was long ago. I jusst... haven't been in one placce long enough to think about it since then. I'm sssorry."

"Mourning is nothing to apologize for."

"I sshouldn't have brought it up."

"I don't see why not. Unless it's simply that you don't wish to say any more...."

Salazar's jaw tightened. "Her mother told me after the funeral that I had no right to be there, or to sspeak of her. I think she was right."

Very softly indeed, "Why?"

"...Because I killed her."

Helga hesitated. "...You? Or the same werewolf that bit you?"

"...The werewolf. But I was ssupposed to defend her, and I was the only one sstill alive after. And... not even human."

"I cannot imagine of you that you failed to save her for lack of trying," she said softly. "And you are, still, human. Most of the month anyway."

"Not enough." He shook his head slightly. "I can sstill feel the moon, always, no matter what phase it's in. I can always feel... the wolf beneath my sskin. Silver has as much of an effect when the moon is new as when it's full. How much of me is really human anymore?"

"Your heart, I think. Your soul. The part that matters, what makes you yearn for friendship and yet flee human company until it's guaranteed you won't harm anyone. You."

He shrugged and looked away. "And where does the part that sshould have protected my wife insstead of letting her die horribly while I esscaped with hardly anything, only to turn into a monsster, fit in?"

"Hardly anything?" Helga sighed and shook her head. "I wasn't there, obviously; I don't know how it went -- but as I said, I find it difficult to imagine that her death was through any lack of effort on your part."

"Her family thought sso."

"It's very easy to lay blame when grieving."

Salazar shrugged again. "They said if there was any jusstice, I would have died there. Then... sssomeone elsse said I did, and only a beassst was left." He swallowed and looked away. "That'ss when I left."

Helga closed her eyes, her hands tight around his. That had probably been best; she somehow suspected that they would not have left "only a beast" alive much longer. "You are not 'only a beast,'" she said quietly. "You are a man, and I don't doubt you were in as much pain as they were over her loss, and even if you had been to blame in any way I think you would have paid the price many times over by now."

"Ssome debts can never be paid," he replied in a low voice. "She was young, and healthy... and happy. We would have had a family by now. Insstead she's dead and I'll never see the rest of them again." He was silent for a long moment, then said haltingly, "I'm sorry, I... shouldn't be sspeaking of sssuch things. You've all been sso kind...."

"And this is a reason not to talk to us?" She reached out again and brushed her fingertips carefully across his temple, then hesitated -- but only briefly -- before gathering him slowly into a hug again. "I still very much doubt it was your fault. That we could subdue you safely is... unusual... and there were three of us together. And forewarned, at that. But in any event... speak of whatever you wish or need."

He shouldn't be talking about Gwen and hugging another woman! But the embrace was so warm and welcoming, and Salazar was still touch-starved after all his years of wandering. So he just leaned into her and closed his eyes. "I sstill shouldn't... I don't want you to think I'm not... grateful...."

"Sshhhh." She'd half expected him to fend her off, but he didn't. "What do you think, that we'll take it as an insult if you talk of your past? If you still mourn her, and everything else you lost? We're not going to hold sorrow against you, Salazar."

"It was years ago." A wry smile. "I'm older than I look. I shouldn't sstill..."

"If it still hurts," she said quietly, "then it does. And you've said yourself you haven't really had time to think on it before."

"...Have you ever been married?"

She blinked. "No."

"Just wondering."

"I know...." She let go of him, gently, and sat back. "I do know I can't... imagine, very well. I could hardly blame you for pointing it out. Still...."

"Helga, you are a very dear friend. But...on thiss...I will listen to those who were there."

"Until the morning," she replied softly, "was that anyone else but you?"

"...No, but...that's not what I meant."

"I suppose not. Still... they didn't witness what happened any more than I did, though the results nearer at hand."

"Well... no. But I..." He stopped and shook his head. "_I_ know what happened. If I'd been fasster or... ssomething, she'd sstill be alive."

"Maybe." She smiled sadly. "There are always if-onlys."

"I suppose..." His voice trailed off, then he looked back up and shrugged. "It doesn't matter what they think anymore anyway."

"Maybe not. It does matter what you think..." Helga picked up his hand again and squeezed it. "_I_ think you're blaming yourself more than you need to, but that isn't really unusual."

He shrugged again and said wryly, "I am nothing if not usual. Ordinary, unextraordinary Salazar, that's what they call me. Except for the Parseltongue and lycanthropy, of course."

"And the odd sense of humor, clearly."

"With my life, you need to be able to laugh at yourself."

"I think most people need to do more of it than they do."

"I can't imagine you'd have much occasion to laugh at yoursself."

She blinked curiously. "Why not? I've done enough nonsensical things, as many as the next witch I'd think..."

He shrugged. "I suppose so."

"There's also always laughing at Godric and Rowena," she offered.

His smile finally reached his eyes. "They DO give ample opportunity for it, yess."

"And don't generally seem to mind, either. Experiments and dinner indeed."

"Godric laughs at himself too often to mind anyone else doing it." Salazar twisted his hands in front of him and said softly, "I'm still sorry for... unloading on you, but thank you for lisstening."

"You're welcome. And I _mean_ that," she said earnestly. "I don't mind, truly."

"You're a very odd woman, Helga. But it is a fine quality in you."

"What's so odd about listening?"

Salazar was silent for a long moment, then said slowly, "The perssson who ssaid I had died and only a beasst remained was my own mother. Lisstening is rarer than you think."

"Oh." She swallowed hard. "I... am sorry." The words seemed very inadequate.

He shrugged again. "There's no reason for you to be ssorry. It was none of your doing."

"I sorrow for you, then."

"Even so."

She patted his hand gently. "I know you've been through much in your life, Salazar. But know that _here_ you have a home for as long as you wish, and friends for longer than that. We care about you, and we will never turn from you."

Salazar said very softly, "Never is a very long time."

"Not for us." She squeezed his hand even tighter and leaned her forehead against his. "Friends forever, Salazar. All of us."

*****


	5. The Founding

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Chapter 5**

"Feel better?" 

It was a standard question; after more than a year of living in comfort and friendship at Hogwarts, even his curse had become part of the routine. Salazar nodded with his eyes shut, still basking in the heat and drowsiness of one of Helga's healing spells. The second round, the ones she went through after he'd eaten and rested a little. "Yess." He hesitated. "Don't go yet?" 

"Of course not." He could hear the smile. After a moment, she added, "While we were waiting up for you last night, we were talking..."

"I've told you all you don't need to wait up for me," Salazar protested drowsily. "It'ss bad enough that _I'm_ awake all night." A pause. "Sso what were you talking about?"

"Well, you know we've most of the major areas of magical studies covered, amongst the four of us... We were thinking perhaps we should look into taking apprentices, maybe start a school."

Salazar opened his eyes quickly, blinked at her several times, then closed them again and leaned back. "Ah. Well. When ssshould I leave, then?"

Helga stared at him speechlessly for a long moment and finally settled on, "What part of 'amongst the four of us' did you miss, Salazar?"

"You're not sserioussly thinking of having a _werewolf_ at a sssschool! Much lesss _teaching_! Even if _you_ three have losst your ssanity, _I_ haven't."

"Well, we couldn't do it _without_ you. And it's not as if we haven't proven we can make the full moon safe for everyone _except_ you...."

"That'ss besside the _point_!" Salazar exclaimed agitatedly. "What parentss would apprenticce their children to a werewolf? You wouldn't have any _sstudentss_."

"Well, we'll have to see about that part."

"...Helga, the three of you have been very....undersstanding, but I _know_ how otherss would -- DO -- react. It's a grand idea. You three will make wonderful teacherss. I jussst...can't be one of them," he said wistfully.

"As I said, we can't do it without you. None of us is really qualified to _teach_ brewing."

"You've learned a great deal thesse passt monthss," he protested, though his heart was aching. "I could leave you notess to help ssee you through."

"Salazar. Let's try this." Helga leaned over him and put her hand on his cheek. "You _aren't_ leaving, not unless you want to and I find that rather unlikely. If we had to choose between having you stay and starting the school, you stay. We would still _like_ to try the idea, if it seems it might work."

"But I--" Salazar stopped and closed his eyes, just feeling the warmth of her hand against his face for a long moment. Strength and solace. Finally he opened his eyes again. "I don't want to leave, no. And...a sschool is a wonderful idea. I jusst...don't want to ruin the entire venture."

"You are far too dear to us to sacrifice for a dream we haven't even begun. If we can't have both, we want you here." She smiled down at him. "Do you want to try?"

"...Yesss. If you're all _sure_..."

"Sure it'll work? No. Sure we'd like to, _with_ you? Yes."

"All right, all right. Jusst don't blame _me_ when every parent comess russhing up to ssave their poor child from the werewolf."

"Hmph. In such an event, I assure you we wouldn't."

"Very well, then. You can tell Godric and Rowena to sstop lurking at my door and come in."

She laughed and glanced up at the doorway. "Oh, very well. Come on in so we can make plans."

"We weren't _lurking_," Godric protested with offended dignity as he stepped inside, followed by a grinning Rowena. "We just happened to be nearby."

"You don't even _try_ to be plausible, do you?"

"You wouldn't believe me anyway. So, Professor Slytherin--" Godric plopped down in the nearest chair, his excitement palpable, "--lycanthropic reservations aside, what DO you think of the idea?"

"I think you're all mad --"

"That's a reservation."

"But not entirely a lycanthropic one. But it isss...an intriguing idea."

"Too many witches and wizards these days wind up with little or no knowledge in entire areas of magic," Rowena began in her lecturing tone, making Godric grin at her. "They learn only what their teacher is best at, and don't get any grounding at all in other areas, regardless of their own talents. By having all four of us, we can make sure _all_ students know at least _something_ about every area, and of course specialize where their talents lie. I know it's an unusual idea, but...."

"I love it when she talks like that," Godric interrupted, winking at Salazar. "She was a born professor, wasn't she?"

"Jusst don't let her do the introductionss. Sshe might be too intimidating."

"No, we'll leave that to Helga. She talked _you_ into staying; she can convince anyone."

Helga laughed and half-bowed from her position by the bed. "So I'm in charge of welcome and reassurance, am I? And transfiguration, I would assume...."

"And patching up the sstudentss when the resst of us break them," Salazar inserted wryly. "Though I promisse to keep your pharmaccy well-sstocked."

"Much appreciated."

"Then Salazar's got brewing, I'll take general spell-casting, and Rowena can dance through all the hard stuff she tries to convince us is simple." Godric grinned at Rowena again when she made an offended noise. "At least to start. We can shuffle around when we see what works best."

"There has to be something Rowena can manage to teach at a basic level...."

"She could always take on some of the ones who _have_ had decent training early on," Godric suggested. "Or who perk up at her lectures instead of starting to look for an escape route. That's how I ended up working with her, you know." 

"I _am_ still here, you know!"

Godric beamed fondly at her. "Yes, we know."

"If we're really going to try to be respectable professsors," Salazar interjected in amusement, managing to look innocent and mischievous at once, "perhapss you two sshould sstop pretending the resst of us are blind. Married professsors will add to our respectibility."

"Or at least prevent the two of you from impugning it," Helga added after a beat.

Godric and Rowena exchanged a Look, then laughed. "You're quite right," Godric said seriously a moment later. "Excellent point. So, a double wedding then? When?"

Helga turned a very deep pink. "That's not -- I'm sure he wasn't -- Salazar, a little help please?"

But Salazar was looking at her with a considering expression and dark eyes thoughtful. "It'ss not a bad idea," he finally said quietly.

Helga, who didn't really think so either but had not been expecting this reponse at all, squeaked. "Words fail her, apparently," Rowena observed.

"There _is_ a first time for everything," Godric added sagely.

"You can go now, Godric," Salazar told him without looking, his eyes still trained on Helga.

"He never listens when _I_ tell him that," Helga informed him a bit faintly. "Rowena, could you lure him off or something? Or did we need her here?"

"_Ssshe_ has ssense enough to leave on her own."

"We'll work out the details later, then," Rowena said, trying to repress the smile that was working up and taking Godric by the arm.

It crossed Helga's mind that perhaps there was a reason, after all, that so many animals were said to freeze in a serpent's gaze. She didn't seem to be able to move, and kept forgetting to breathe. Only Salazar's eyes were _warm_. And they were _friends_; they were comfortable together -- weren't they? -- there was no reason to feel as if her heart would stop at his next words. Well, then again, the excited tension was actually rather pleasant.

"You're sso quiet," Salazar commented softly after the door closed behind Godric and Rowena. He took her hand from where it lay limply on the bed and stroked the palm lightly. "Didn't you ever realize?"

She shivered lightly and folded her hand over his fingertips. "It occurred to me. It's certainly not an... unwelcome idea. Only I thought perhaps I'd imagined it."

"We're friendss. You acccept me as I am. You're kind and compasssionate, sso lovely, and you make me laugh." He raised her hand and pressed it to his lips gently. "Marry me?"

Her voice was very soft but very definite. "Gladly."

A smile appeared on his face like the moon coming out from behind the clouds. "Thank you." His hand tightened around hers even as his thumb continued lightly stroking her palm. "You realize...I don't know if... lycanthropy passsses to children...."

"I don't know either. But if we can't find out...well. Even if we have none of our own, there will be children aplenty here, if the school goes well."

He nodded. "I jussst wanted to make sssure you...knew the rissskss. Though if anyone would, it'ss my Healer. I jussst..." He blew out a breath and raised his free hand to touch her cheek lightly. "Thank you."

"My thanks to _you_." She turned her face slightly into the touch.

"I ssupposse I sshould be grateful to Godric for blurting thingss out like that. I wass trying to get up the courage to ssay ssomething, and never quite managed."

She chuckled softly. "His company has its advantages sometimes, even if it _was_ embarrassing."

"It'ss worth it."

"Yes." She leaned down over him until the tips of their noses touched. "I think it is."

He felt his blood singing, but didn't think it was entirely due to the wolf inside. He closed his eyes and pushed it down fiercely, then joined his lips to hers. He could be calm -- sort of. He could be restrained -- all right, not really. But he could keep the bloodlust down to a dull roaring in his ears and concentrate on the purely human passions for now.

Helga's eyes drifted shut too and she moved carefully to sit on the edge of the bed instead of her chair, then more carefully still poked out the tip of her tongue to touch his upper lip. Salazar hissed. She jumped.

He jumped too, eyes flying open and pulling back from her, though his hands grabbed hers and held on with frantic rigidity. "I'm ssssorry! I'm sssorry, Helga, I'm sssssorry. Are you hurt?"

"No, no --" She squeezed his hands tightly and reassuringly. "Don't worry. I was just startled. I suppose I _should_ have expected -- well, then again, maybe not. At any rate I _didn't_."

"Expected..? I didn't bite you, did I?" His skin was cool and very pale.

"No." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I just wasn't expecting you to hiss when I, ah," Helga turned pink again. "Licked you."

All the tension drained out of Salazar abruptly, leaving his hands a little shaky and the rest of him trembling with suppressed laughter. "_That_? Helga, I'm a _Parsselmouth_." He kissed the tip of her nose, still laughing, then her lips in a short but sweet embrace. "I hissss at all ssortss of odd timess, love."

"So I have just noticed. That simply wasn't one that had occurred to me." She nuzzled his cheek lightly. "I didn't mean to alarm you." A pause. "I didn't mean for you to end up laughing at me, either, but I suppose that's an improvement." She was grinning.

"Not laughing _at_ you. Laughing _with_ you," he corrected with as much dignity as he could manage while he was still chuckling, pressing light kisses to her jaw, and trying to pull her closer. "I jussst thought...it'ss sso easy now to losse control."

Helga hugged him tightly, then sat up again and began taking her shoes off. "You didn't. And I trust you."

"....That awess me. And humbless me. It alwayss hass, but even more now...."

"You have always been worthy of it."

He hissed softly. "I'm jusst glad you think sso."

"Of course I do." She set her shoes very neatly beside each other and then drew up her feet and curled beside him.

"Mmm." He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head against hers. "I never thought, after....all that happened, that I could be...ssso happy. Like thiss."

"I am happy...with you. Like this." She smiled. "And here I had resigned myself to being the spinster-crone."

"Ssspinsster, perhapsss, but crone? If thisss iss what all croness look like, they have recceived a _very_ bad reputation!"

"Well, _eventually_...."

"Mm. No, it iss imposssible. Sssorry."

Helga laughed at him and stretched out alongside him. And then kissed him again. He tried not to hiss and startle her again, but as her hands twined in his hair and pulled him closer, he couldn't hold in a low hiss. This time, though, she just giggled slightly, murmured, "That tickles," and returned to kissing him without any wasted breath. 

"Mmmsss. You don't mind then?" he murmured when they next had to pause. 

"Of course not. I _told_ you I was just startled the first time." A mischievous grin as she freed one hand from his hair and started playing her fingers over the side of his neck. "Granted _I_ don't try to talk in the middle of a kiss, but if you want to..."

"You jusst _did_ talk in the middle of a kisss," he pointed out. "And it'ss not talking. If I hisssed like that to a ssnake, it would probably look at me sstrangely and sslither away as fasst as posssible."

She giggled. "So I did. And that's a very amusing image."

"I live to amusse you. And kissss you." He lowered his head again to continue with the latter.

*****

The four Founders of Hogwarts stood on the front steps to the school, ready to welcome their new students. Only an observer who knew them well could see the nerves through the welcoming smiles and excited eyes they presented to the outside world. (And the only ones who knew any of them well enough were standing up there beside them, so their secret was probably safe.)

Twenty eager children, the youngest ten and the eldest thirteen, were being escorted to the castle today by parents or friends Godric had arranged to travel alongside children who needed it. The decision of which students to take had been surprisingly fierce after the relatively easy agreements to found the school and which subjects to cover. Rowena had argued that only children who'd shown a devotion to scholarship would be appropriate pupils, while Godric felt they needed to prove themselves worthy first with bold acts of courage, to show they could handle the rigors of study.

It was the only time Salazar could remember the two -- now husband and wife -- actually _shouting_ at each other beneath the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. His and Helga's argument had been less... heated, but the beliefs no less sincerely held. Salazar, afraid both of reactions to his own condition and of the ever-looming menace of Muggle mobs, wanted to keep entry limited to only children of magical families. Though he didn't exactly subscribe to his family's idea that Muggles were lesser types of human (and Muggle-born wizards a reviled concept never even mentioned), Salazar had to admit to himself that he still wasn't _quite_ sure he trusted them. Rowena was the exception, of course. Helga argued with them all that _any_ child with the ability to do magic should be admitted as long as they were willing to work hard.

In the end, they'd agreed on choosing students individually for their own Houses, but teaching all in common. Salazar thought it was a rather brilliant compromise, personally. They'd spend months choosing the students and getting everything ready, but now -- at _last_! -- it was time.

Salazar tucked a much-handled envelope back inside his robes and tried to keep his face impassive. "If they don't arrive sssoon, I may losse my mind," he commented casually.

Helga looked up at him and squeezed his arm. Rowena asked innocently, "Would that be new?"

"No, he usually says we've lost ours," Godric explained.

Salazar sniffed haughtily and explained, "I finally tracked _mine_ down hiding behind that old sstorage cupboard in my new Potionss classsroom lasst week. I'd hate to lossse it again sso ssoon."

They laughed. Helga rested her head comfortably against his shoulder. "Yes, that would be a shame. Was it with the letter you've been fidgeting over?"

Salazar blinked and reached automatically for his inner pocket, then stopped and said evasively, "What letter?"

"The one you were playing with a minute ago -- I'd guess it to be the same one you were working on during the night."

"Oh. That. It'ssss nothing." He smoothed the fabric over his pocket, then looked back out at the road. "Aren't they _here_ yet?"

"Unless they are invisible," Rowena said judiciously, "no."

"There'ss no need to be ssarcassstic."

"I was only teasing you. Though it's quite true, really."

Salazar sighed and wrapped one arm around Helga, leaning against her. "I'm jusst impatient." A pause, then so casually it was immediately suspicious, he added, "Godric, you sssaid your friend wass heading sssouth after leaving here, yess? By Chesssster, along the coassst?"

"Yes, why?"

A shrug. "Jussst checking."

Godric watched him appraisingly for a long moment. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yessss," Salazar hissed exasperatedly.

"Sorry. It's just you're hissing enough I'd think you hadn't slept for a couple days, or were coming down with something." Godric's mouth quirked. "If it's just nerves, well enough -- I can hardly say anything there."

"Helga takesss care of me well enough I'm ccertainly not coming down with anything." Salazar gave his wife a tender look. "I...didn't sssleep much the passst few nightss, no." He was silent for a moment, then added quietly, "Not sssince you mentioned your friend. I -- My family isss from Chessster. I thought...I ssshould at leassst let them know I remarried. I....wasss my father'sss oldessst ssson."

"They should be glad to hear from you," Rowena said softly.

"Not likely."

"Well, they still _should_."

Salazar shrugged sharply, almost rapping Helga in the head. "Sssincce your friend iss going, I thought he could take a letter. I felt obligated to sssend one. There won't be a resssponsse."

Helga swayed slightly to the side to avoid being bumped, then wrapped her arm around her husband's waist. 

Godric nodded. "I'm sure he'll be more than willing."

"No lossss if he isssn't," Salazar muttered under his breath. "Do I ssee carriagess now?"

Rowena stood on tiptoe, bracing a hand on Godric. "I do believe so. You have good eyes."

"Or desperate ones," Helga murmured. Then she stretched up as well and beamed excitedly. "Our first students!"

Salazar took his eyes off the approaching hint of carriages after a moment and stared down at his wife in astonishment. "Are you _bouncing_?"

"Yes," she replied, entirely unabashed. "I'm excited. Aren't you?"

"Not bouncccing exccited."

"But hissing excited," she countered, grinning. "That counts, for you, I think."

"I.... ssssssssssssuppossssssssssse it doesssssssss."

"_Now_ you're just exaggerating." She tucked herself comfortably against him and stopped bouncing (mostly).

He leaned down and half-hissed in her ear, "You ussssually don't mind when I hisssss, my love."

She tilted her head back and turned it far enough to catch his earlobe lightly in passing. "Did I say I minded now?"

"Remind me to anssswer you properly when there aren't twenty children and their parentsss about to desscend upon uss."

"Believe me, my dearest, I will."

"I see we won't need to restock the kitchen with honey any time soon," Godric laughed, nudging Salazar's side. "Break it up, you two. They're here."

And indeed, a variety of carriages had arrived at the gates, conscripted to bring the students and their families in from the nearest village, however they'd arrived there. Children were boiling out, seeming like three times their number as voices raised in excitement.

"We're here, we're here, we're here!" one small person was caroling shrilly as she jumped up and down; she caught sight of her teachers and swallowed the next shout, planting both feet decorously on the ground without the slightest notion that they were nearly as excited to see her.

"They're here, they're here, they're here," Helga murmured behind her gently welcoming smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts!" she called out loudly enough for everyone to hear. "If you'll leave your things in the carriages, they'll be taken to your new rooms for you. I'm Professor Hufflepuff, and I'm very glad to see you all at last! Please follow Professor Gryffindor into the Great Hall so we can get everyone sorted out."

Godric waved helpfully to identify himself and was accordingly followed. "I like that little one," Helga whispered to Salazar as they made their way in with the flood. "I wish I knew whose she was." They could recognize very few of their students by sight at this point, though one or two bore a distinct resemblance to well-known magical families.

"Ssomeone that inordinately cheerful can only be yourss, love," he whispered back, nodding companionably to the parents and escorts while attempting to look like some sort of authority figure. It was a strange new role.

Helga grinned, but their arrival in the Great Hall was signified by the students' (and parents') awed whispering over the enchanted ceiling. Rowena was beaming as always at the reaction to her work. The four professors made their way to the front of the room, Helga standing a little ways in front in her role as welcomer and spokeswitch. She let the whispers die down a little before speaking again.

"There now. This is much better." The acoustics in the Great Hall made it easy for every last student to hear her from this position, thus eliminating the need for shouting or Sonorus Charms. She clapped her hands together excitedly. "We're all so glad you're here. As I said, I am Helga Hufflepuff. I'll be teaching transfiguration and healing. This is my husband, Salazar Slytherin, Potions master; Godric Gryffindor, whom you already met, Charms Professor, and his wife Rowena Ravenclaw, who will be teaching Advanced Spellwork."

Each Founder waved a little in turn to identify him- or herself. There were a few excited whispers around the hall, but everyone was staying remarkably calm. "You will all be socializing together, but you've been divided into Houses for taking classes and assigning dormitory space. Professor Ravenclaw has the list of House divisions."

Helga stepped back and waved a little at Rowena to take over. "You will all see that we have four banners up," Rowena announced pleasantly. "Mine is blue; Professor Gryffindor's is red; Professor Slytherin's is serpent-green...." She turned and grinned at him. "And Professor Hufflepuff's is yellow. We've arranged things so that we will each be supervising the students we felt most suited to, so please go and stand by your banner as we call out your name and House." She began the list.

Helga managed to remain impassive when she saw the overeager girl she liked was indeed a member of Hufflepuff, though she rocked a bit on her toes and exchanged a quick glance with Salazar, who looked warmly amused. It didn't take long to go through the short list and soon the students were greeting their fellow Housemates eagerly. "There aren't many of you to start off with," Helga took up the narration again, "but we'll be adding more each year, of course, so you'll soon have other students to welcome. Your Head of House will be the professor you deal with the most often. If you have any personal problems or simply wish to talk, please feel free to speak with your Head. The other professors will, of course, also be glad to help."

She looked back at the other founders, running out of steam, so Salazar stepped up smoothly to fill in the gaps. "Classsess will begin in the morning. We'll sstart with ssome initial tesstss to get an idea of what kind of knowledge you have already and continue on accordingly. Professsor Ravenclaw will be teaching the more advancced ssubjectss for thosse with sspecial interesstss or abilitiesssss." He drew out the hiss on the last word and grinned. "Or whomever iss mosst qualified, of coursse."

"Nobody told me they got a _Parselmouth_ professor," one of the boys whispered a little too loudly to his neighbor. "And he's not even the healer!"

Helga looked at her husband and grinned.

"All Hogwartss professsorss have sspecial sskillss," Salazar continued modestly. "And we wissh to develop yourss, sso pleasse work diligently in classs and assk uss any quesstionss you may have."

This was met with a surprising amount of cheering; a few students, probably unfamiliar with the talent, looked confused or a little unnerved, but one of the older girls in Godric's group gave a rousing and (to Salazar) intelligible hiss.

"And for some reason they've given me the most enjoyable part of the announcements," Godric added as Salazar glanced toward him and yielded the floor, "which is to tell you that we'll show you where you'll be sleeping, and then bring you back here for dinner once you've had a chance to look around."

Godric got an even louder cheer than Salazar had, but food was generally more important to eleven to thirteen year olds than studying, no matter _how_ interesting the topics. Salazar gave Godric a mock-glare as they separated to take their own students to the dormitories they'd personally designed and muttered good-naturedly, "I can't believe _you_ got the Parsselmouth."

"Her father's a Muggle," Godric returned good-humoredly, "so you didn't pay enough attention. You'll be seeing enough of her, though, I'd imagine."

The two men split to reach their groups under the red and green banners at opposite ends, with the women walking down the middle. Helga herded her lot of very enthusiastic children out of the Hall and down the corridors, cheerfully fielding questions and listening to the children's exclamations about the different features of the castle as she led them towards the cozy burrow she'd designed for her young badgers.

The young girl she'd noticed out front was just as enthusiastic now as she was then, chattering excitedly to her four Housemates and Helga without seeming to take a breath in between her words. "--And I've never been in a magic house before. There were some magical families in my village, but we didn't get to talk to them very much and one of them hardly talks to anybody anymore because one of the boys got turned into a _werewolf_ and killed his wife and then ran off before they could kill him and I've never met a werewolf but you don't think there'd be any around _here_...."

By Helga's Healer's reckoning, the poor thing should have passed out from lack of air three corridors ago. That might have been an improvement, actually, she reflected, if she was going to be going on about werewolves....

"Where are _you_ from?" one of the other girls asked a bit breathlessly.

"South of here -- well, that's most places I suppose. Chester."

Helga did not stop walking, but she thought something very inappropriate. "I've done healing for werewolves before," she said quietly over her shoulder. Not for very long, for the few she'd met before Salazar; they'd all moved on. "Most of them were very nice people, all but the one night each month."

The girls looked up with wide, awed eyes. "You've healed _werewolves_?" the second girl squeaked. "But aren't they _scary_? Weren't you afraid they'd bite you?"

"I've been in more danger from fever-patients. Except when the full moon is in the sky and they're transformed, no, they really aren't especially scary."

"_I'd_ be scared if I met one," the girl said stoutly. "You must be _really_ brave."

~Oh little one,~ Helga thought sadly, ~how little you know.~ "Not very brave. Just sensible."

"I thought sensible people stayed _away_ from them."

"Only during the full moon. They're not dangerous _any_ other time, I promise you. In fact, it's more sensible to stay around them the rest of the time so you can make certain they're confined somewhere they can't do damage during the full moon."

"But how can you? I mean... can't they chew through _walls_?"

Helga thought back to Salazar's bloody hands and mouth after he tried just that every full moon. "No," she answered quietly, "they can't. Good, solid stone will hold them as well as you or I. Better, actually, since even the wizard ones can't wield magic while they're transformed. Remember that werewolves become the way they are through accident, not intent, and most of them are more horrified of themselves than we could possibly be."

This was met with a long moment of silence before the girl said quietly, "Professor Hufflepuff, most of the people I know don't have stone walls."

Helga blinked. "Oh. Of course. Well, that takes a bit more ingenuity, but there _are_ ways to keep a werewolf from harming anyone during their transformation. There are caves, or chaining them down -- strong enough metal would work, or silver, of course -- or even sending them off to an unpopulated area once a month. Whenever we've run into werewolves, it's been in the Forest, because it's so far from any villages. Which is one reason we don't want any of you children going there, incidentally," she added sternly.

"Yes, ma'am."

Helga tried not to sigh to herself. She was going to have to tell Salazar where the girl was from. At least she hadn't recognized his name -- 'Salazar' was after all a rather unusual one.

Well. Perhaps they'd do well to add a few courses in defending oneself from some of the more dangerous magical creatures, and perhaps from some of the more common curses and jinxes too. They could correct common misapprehensions like this one, and help insure the safety of their students while they were at it. Maybe Rowena could take it on... 

She tucked that thought away for further consideration and showed the students how to convince the enchanted suit of armor to let them inside the new dormitory. They'd all laughed at first when Godric hung a portrait of some woman in pink in front of the entrance to _his_ House, but he'd just grinned and bowed to the portrait. "If my lady will show my colleagues your secrets..." The woman in the portrait had giggled and swung her frame away. Godric explained that he thought sharing a password to get in would make the House dorm feel more like a secret home and help the students bond together. The other three had taken up his suggestion enthusiastically and modified their own entrances to suit. Seeing _her_ students reactions, Helga thought Godric had pegged it nicely. 

They spent several delighted moments exploring the sett-style dormitory and, in one or two cases, bouncing on the beds. Helga rounded them up again after they'd had time to start feeling comfortable and steered them back up to the Great Hall, where food had been set out. 

The four of them ate together, though where they could keep an eye on their students, and Rowena cast a light charm around their table so that the excellent acoustics would _not_ broadcast attempts at private conversation, though a deliberate call to the students would still be possible if discipline or warning were needed. 

"We nearly lost Rowena's group," Godric informed them cheerfully. "She _would_ take them by the library."

"Excuse me for thinking the library is a good thing to show _students_," she sniffed with teasing hauteur.

"It is, just not while we're expecting to see them again sometime before next week," he shot back. 

"Mine liked the common room," Salazar reported with a certain amount of relief. He hadn't been quite sure how to design for children and so just designed for himself instead. There'd been liberal amounts of green, but unlike the other three dormitories, his bore only small traces of the second House color. His friends had looked at him slightly askance when he'd decided on green and _silver_ to represent Slytherin House, but he'd chosen it for a certain amount of healthy irony... and just in case anyone got to close to discovering his secret. Who would think the _werewolf_ had silver as one of his signature colors? "And they sseemed very eager about sstarting classsess."

Helga shot her husband a proud if slightly distracted smile. "Ah, did your group ever actually _reach_ the dormitory, Rowena?" 

"...Briefly." 

"You sshould jusst put a library _inside_ your Housse and that would ssolve the problem." 

Rowena blushed a bit and changed the subject hurriedly. "So what did your students think, Godric?"

"They seemed to enjoy it -- a couple of them ended up playing with the spiral staircase, and Sarah wants to talk to you, Salazar...."

"The Parsselmouth girl? Excccellent." Salazar grinned like a schoolboy himself for a moment. "I sstill can't believe we got a Parsselmouth in the firsst batch. Esspecially without me even _knowing_. They're sso rare."

"She's practically ecstatic about the idea of meeting another one." Godric nodded to Helga. "And how are yours?"

"Enthusiastic." She smiled.

"They looked a little more subdued when you came back, or a couple did. So do you, for that matter."

"Mmm. ...It turns out that one of my girls is from near where Salazar's family lives."

Salazar choked on a bite of meat and coughed for a moment to dislodge it. When he could speak again, it was with a much more pronounced hiss than usual. "I ssssupposssse ssshe'sss going home, then. I'm ssssso ssssorry, love. How did the other ssstudentsss react?"

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Ah.... Actually she doesn't seem to have identified you specifically, though she... has heard the story, or a version of it. I spent much of the walk explaining -- in general terms -- why one shouldn't fear a werewolf outside the full moon." 

"Ssshe doesssn't know it wasss me?" Salazar let out a slow breath. "Thank God for that, then. I didn't want to cossst you sstudentsss ssso sssoon." Part of him wondered just want "version" of the story the girl had told, but the rest of him said morosely he probably didn't want to know.

"No. Though... it occurs to me it may be on her mind, if no one else's, around the next full moon." She wrapped her hand around his wrist. "I will speak to her, if need be. And at any rate, however it goes, you are not to blame." 

He gave a low hiss of assent, though his good mood was somewhat spoiled by the news. "It'ss already going to be difficult explaining why I jusst _happen_ to get ssick every full moon." He sighed. "I need to sstart healing more quickly."

"...I _am_ doing my best. I'm sorry to have had to bring it up...."

"It'ss not _your_ fault," he assured her, bringing her hand up to kiss lightly. "And it'ss besst that I know." He wrinkled his nose. "I jusst hope sshe doessn't make the connection between the local werewolf and the local Parssselmouth."

"She may not have been aware of the latter back home; she did mention that she'd had little contact with most of the magical families there."

"I live in hope," Salazar muttered. 

"It'll be fine, Sal," Godric said bracingly. "By the time the full moon comes, she'll just be thinking of you as the nasty Potions master who sets far too much homework. She'll probably think you just locked yourself in your laboratory again for a few days to work on a delicate potion."

"Thank you, there's a handy excuse." 

"Considering you probably won't be able to resist _actually_ doing so once in a while..."

"As if you two don't do the ssame thing occasssionally. Helga iss the only sssane one among uss, apparently. What a thought."

"Well, I _have_ to be available in case one of you three manages to injure yourself...."

"One of us _twenty_-three now, Helga," Rowena countered with a grin, waving a hand at the happily eating and chattering students. "And if you think we're bad now, that's _nothing_ to what we were like at age twelve."

"Oh dear. And you'll probably just encourage them."

"_I_ will be an excellent professor. I believe it is our dear husbands you should worry about."

"Rowena, I have _heard_ the sort of questions you ask. And then try to answer."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," she retorted demurely. "Ahem. It appears everyone is nearly finished, judging by the noise level in here."

"You are changing the subject. But I suppose it is about time to move along."

"What's wrong with that, as long as it's true?" Rowena asked with a grin. "I thought perhaps we should spend some time in our common rooms answering questions and clarifying the rules this evening, then retire early and let them finish getting settled without their old professors hovering over their shoulders."

"I'm not a crone yet," Helga said with a grin; this drew a laugh from Salazar, as she'd hoped. "Still, a good idea. Shall we?"

They collected their respective students and took them to the dormitories again, spending a while there and then, finally, joining each other and -- having spent several days past in preparations -- deciding to enjoy a nearly free evening. 

"Never have I heard 'why' assked in sso many wayss, not even from Godric and Rowena," Salazar complained good-naturedly, sitting with Helga curled up beside him and rubbing her neck until she purred like a contented cat. "I thought that was generally grown out of by thiss age." 

"Why for the sake of why is," Rowena answered serenely, "but curiosity by brand-new students is expected and welcome, no matter what their age. And I took no offense, if you were worried."

Salazar grinned. "I wasssn't."

"You never are," she replied fondly. "And rightly so. Helga, one of mine is asking about Animagi; I haven't studied that in any more depth than the definition, really -- have you?"

"Only a little. I know some of the theory, but I couldn't even begin to do it. I think we have some books in the library about it, though. Let me know who it is and I'll talk with her. It really shouldn't be attempted until they have a good many more years behind them, of course."

"Maeve. She should do well in basic transfiguration, at any rate; it seems to be something her family's started her in. Oh, and she wants to know if she can help with the gardens."

"I think I can make room for some help," Godric replied. "I was hoping that wouldn't have to become punishment just to get enough help!" He grinned and rubbed his hands together. "We're finally doing this!"

The rest of them beamed, though Salazar's smile was a little more restrained than the rest. He was the one to answer, though. "Yessss. And -- mossstly -- off to a good sssstart, it appearss."

"Don't worry about Meghan, Salazar," Helga admonished, squirming a little closer to him. "I'm sure it won't be any trouble. She seemed like a perfectly nice girl after dinner, and she didn't say anything else about werewolves. You worry too much."

"It'sss not that I'd _blame_ her...."

Helga sighed and rested her head against his neck. "I know."

He pressed his lips against her hair with a wordless hiss.

"If it's a problem, it is, but don't go borrowing trouble when we have enough here already," Godric chided. "Tomorrow we get to start teaching eleven year olds how to use magic. They'll be floating down the corridors with blue hair and pig snouts for noses before long. Worry about _that_."

"...That'ss either a very optimisstic asssesssment of the training or a very pesssimisstic one, and I can't deccide which."

"I bet I can teach them how to float each other before _you_ can teach them how to brew a hair color potion," Godric retorted challengingly.

"No doubt, as that'ss not exactly one of my prioritiesss."

"You're no fun."

"As much as I endeavor to be your amussement in life..."

"_I_ think you're fun," Helga told him.

He grinned at her and hissed playfully. "I'd _hope_ so."

"And to think Helga used to tease _us_...."

"Used to?"

"Well, you still _do_, but not nearly as much." Rowena winked at her. "I think being an old married woman has mellowed you."

"Well, you're not quite as much fun to tease when you aren't trying to be ambiguous."

"Bessidess, we're _ssuppossed_ to be the adults now," Salazar interjected wryly. "Twenty children calling uss 'professsor' ring a bell with anyone?"

"That's no reason to lose our sense of humor," Godric replied. "Recipe for disaster, that..."

"No, but sshowing ssome ssemblancce of maturity would not be amisss." Salazar paused, then grinned. "Only ssome. In public."

"And then when some of our students eventually teach here as well, we can surprise them by how we act among ourselves," Rowena suggested mischievously.

Salazar hissed with laughter. "Yess, preccissely. And issn't that the grandesst joke of all?"

"As long as it doesn't scare them too badly, of course." Helga grinned and shot Godric a look, expecting protests.

"If they scare too badly from _that_, they obviously weren't any of _my_ students," he retorted.

"I don't know, discovering an entirely new aspect to one's professors' personalities..."

"Excellent topic for investigation," Rowena suggested. "Prepare to be observed."

Godric smiled at her fondly, but Salazar and Helga covered laughter. "And you accusse _me_ of getting too involved in my experimentss."

"I have _always_ been too involved in my experiments."

Salazar could hardly dispute this truth, so he just shrugged and smiled. "At any rate, it will be ssome time before any of our sstudentss are old enough -- to sspeak nothing of _willing_ -- to join sstaff. Sso you will jusst have to wait to conduct your experiment."

"Patience, as Helga reminds me frequently, is a virtue."

"Then be patient," Salazar advised with a wink, leaning his head against Helga's contentedly. "We have all the time in the world."

*****


	6. Discovered!

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended._

Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone_Kore  
Chapter 6: Discovered

"Good morning, students," Helga greeted them cheerfully as she walked into the laboratory the morning after a full moon. There were bags under her eyes from healing Salazar right after moonset, but she was the only one with a free period to take over while he was recuperating. They usually tried to keep at least one professor free at all times in case things needed taking care of, but usually Rowena or Godric took over these mornings so Helga and Salazar could _both_ rest. She brushed a stray hair out of her eyes and resolved to work on the schedule first chance she got. "Professor Slytherin isn't feeling well this morning, so he asked me to take over. I believe you're brewing Clarifying Concoctions today?" 

"Yes, Professor," several of the students chorused dutifully.

"We've studied the instructions," Sarah added. "I hope he feels better ssoon." 

"I'm sure he will. Now, if you were attentive to them, I'm told, then you will all have picked sufficient fresh eyebright after breakfast this morning..."

One or two students hadn't; David, expecting something of the sort, had gathered a few extra portions to avoid delaying the class. Helga smiled approvingly at him, though she did warn the others not to count on such things and assigned those who had been negligent a little extra weeding as a reminder. 

Salazar had turned out to be an excellent professor -- somewhat to his surprise, but Helga said loyally she knew he could do anything he wanted to -- so the students knew to get to work right away on the instructions he'd provided. Helga only needed to wander the classroom to answer occasional questions and prevent one student from poisoning them all by adding the liverwort before the spotted toadstools

"Professor Hufflepuff?" Sarah asked quietly as she paused over the girl's cauldron. "Will Professor Slytherin really be all right? Meghan said he was sick just last month, and I remember before that he had to cancel a study session because he said he got too wrapped up in a potion to break away. But...well...he just seems to be sick an awful _lot_..." 

"...He is, rather often, I'm afraid. But he always does get well and doesn't seem too much the weaker for it." Helga smiled as reassuringly as she could. "He'll be back with you tomorrow or the day after, likely."

"You look tired yourself, Professor...."

"Well, I have trouble sleeping when he can't -- it's the Healer training, partly; it's hard to rest when I feel I should be doing something."

Sarah grinned. "Professor Slytherin said there are all sorts of Healing spells Parselmouths can do that other Healers can't. I think I might like to be a Healer...."

"There are quite a few -- one of the greatest Healers ever was a Parselmouth, and he developed a great many of them. He's the reason more Healing spells than others are in Greek instead of Latin, as well."

Sarah's eyes were wide and full of dreams as she took this in, so her partner carefully added powdered moth wings to their potion and started to stir counterclockwise. Then she spoke up thoughtfully, "You know, Professor Slytherin always seems to be out at the same time every month." She grinned a bit. "I'd start to think men had moon-times too!"

Meghan looked up at this and then turned intently back to her cauldron; Helga saw this and wondered if she should talk to the girl... "No, though you'll hear mutters about it when Professor Gryffindor is tending Lunar Nightshade, and no mistake. And now _you'd_ best tend to your potion, Sarah -- I'd be happy to train you as a Healer, but attention's an important part of it!"

A guilty start, then a muttered, "Yes, Professor Hufflepuff," and Sarah bent back over her potion studiously.

Helga resumed wandering around the classroom, and the rest of the period passed in relative peace. Salazar had done himself proud; the students were remarkable for being in their first year of training.

After the period ended and she sent them away to study before lunch, Helga made another circuit of the classroom to make sure everything had been put away properly and no flammable ingredients left near the fire. She'd _thought_ everyone had left, so when there was a quiet cough from the doorway, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Professor," Meghan said quietly, looking down at the floor. Helga could still see enough of her eyes to know they were wide and a little frightened. "I -- I needed to talk to you. Please?"

Helga feared she knew what about, but she also knew better than to jump to conclusions -- at least obviously. "Of course, Meghan. You may come with me to my study if you like, as soon as I finish here." Which didn't take very long.

Meghan followed her silently, with her eyes still on the flagstones of the floor, and stood with her hands behind her back in the study until Helga invited her to sit. "What did you wish to discuss?" she prompted gently.

Meghan gulped a little, then took a deep breath. "Professor Hufflepuff," she began, sounding a bit desperate, and then paused as if at a loss for a moment before plunging onward. "I heard what Sarah said today. And... I had noticed too, only I thought perhaps I was imagining things -- it's not at the same time _every_ time -- but when she mentioned it... it always has been at the one, so far." She swallowed again and didn't look up. "Every full moon. And even... I didn't think anything of it at first, but under the hissing, Professor Slytherin sounds like he's from... from home, maybe. And maybe I am being foolish...and I know you said not to be afraid, but... Professor Hufflepuff, Professor Slytherin's a werewolf, isn't he?"

Helga sighed quietly, but didn't know how to answer without answering. "Yes, he is," she said simply. "And you're right, he's the same Salazar you're thinking of. We weren't sure if you would make the connection or not. I'm very proud of you for coming to me instead of scaring all your fellow students."

"I d-didn't want to say anything," Meghan said softly, "if I didn't really know." She sounded very much shaken. "I hoped I was being stupid."

"No, you weren't being stupid. You were very clever." Helga sounded more resigned than praising, though. "How do you feel now that you know?"

"...Miserable." The word was almost inaudible. "I know you told us not to be scared, and I am." She sounded as if she might cry.

Helga sat down and drew the girl closer with an arm around her shoulders. "It's all right to be scared, Meghan, truly. After the stories you've heard, I'd be very surprised if you _weren't_! The important thing is to not let the fear control you, and think through it. You're scared because you've heard that werewolves are dangerous, even evil. You even heard that _this_ werewolf killed his own wife. That would certainly scare ME! But you've been here through several full moons already. Have you seen or heard _anything_ that would make you think a werewolf was around?"

"Only Professor Slytherin _not_ being around," she admitted, still in a whisper. "...Did he?"

"If you mean, did he kill his wife, no, he didn't. He doesn't like to speak of it much, but I _do_ know that they were attacked by a werewolf, and by the time Salazar was able to fend it off, he'd been bitten and she was dead." Helga closed her eyes and added softly, "And believe me, no one regrets her death more than he, even now."

If Meghan wondered why even a witch and wizard had gone out walking during the full moon, which she did (having grown up being told she should never, ever do that), she didn't say so. "Why..." She lifted her eyes from the floor, but only briefly. "Why don't we -- hear, or -- you said stone, before, didn't you?"

"Yes. Professor Gryffindor made him a special chamber that he goes to during the full moons. It's sealed up completely so _none_ of us can get in or out with Professor Gryffindor's help. And even before that, he wandered as far from other people as he could get so he couldn't hurt anyone, even though it meant he was hurt and sometimes starving alone."

Meghan flinched slightly, then looked a little bewildered. "D-do you mean the transformation hurts?" she ventured uncertainly.

Helga blew out a breath, not sure how much she should reveal. She said slowly, "Yes, it hurts quite a bit. Uncontrolled physical transformations usually do. He _has_ to miss classes for a day or two afterwards because he can't even get out of bed right now. And...well, when he's transformed, he has the mind of a werewolf, not a human, so he can hurt himself rather badly by trying to get out of the chamber." She smiled weakly. "It's a good thing he married a Healer, really."

"Oh." Meghan was still very pale. "But... he can't have just... lain out in the woods for a couple of days without moving..."

"No, which is why he was in quite bad shape when he arrived at Hogwarts. He'd do the best he could, but it was really a lot of luck that he didn't get attacked by anything before he could manage to drag himself to somewhere relatively safe."

There was also, of course, that the transformations were a good bit _worse_ when there were humans near enough to sense, but _that_ part of it Helga thought Salazar wouldn't want revealed, nor was it likely to reassure the girl at all.

"Oh." Meghan sat quietly, a little huddled, eyes downcast, for several long seconds. "I don't know if my parents would have sent me here," she said quietly, "if we'd known..."

"We can talk to your parents, if you think it's important for them to know for you to stay here. We just ask that...you don't advertise what you've learned to the other students. We'd prefer for it not to become public knowledge that we have a werewolf living here. Not so much for the students not to know, but...well, do you remember what your villagers were planning on doing to Salazar before he left?"

"...I wasn't born yet."

Helga blinked. Salazar had always said it was "long ago", but she hadn't realized quite _how_ long he meant. "Ah. Well, from my understanding, they were planning on killing him because he wasn't human anymore. Even his own parents."

"...Probably. I...got the impression from mine that the magical families would rather the rest of us hadn't known at all."

"It's often more comfortable not to have to talk about these things," Helga said wryly. "And they probably were as saddened by it as anything. They thought that Salazar was dead, really, and a beast had taken his form." She sighed quietly. "But that's neither here nor there. The question is, do _you_ still want to stay at Hogwarts? If you do, we'll do anything we can to convince your parents."

"I..." Meghan stopped to think about that. "I am scared," she said softly, "but... if you're sure it's safe.... I always have liked Professor Slytherin, so far, and it... you did say... it isn't fair to blame him." She swallowed. "And I still want to learn...."

"And we still want to teach you," Helga said warmly. "Both magic and things like how not to be scared." She paused for a moment in thought, then added slowly, "Would you like to go see Professor Slytherin now? He's in bed, but he should be awake and I'm sure he'd like to talk to you."

Meghan went nearly chalk-white, but bit her lips until they were pink again instead of lavender and folded her hands in her lap before saying, "Y-yes, please. I think I would. If you don't think he'd mind."

"No, I don't think he would. You just need to remember that he's very tired right now, so he might not _look_ very good or be able to talk for long, but I think he'd like to talk to you for as long as he can." Helga stood and held her hand out for the girl. "Let's go find him."

Meghan's hand was cold, but she looked a little better by the time they reached Salazar -- which was, frankly, probably fortunate. Even so, when he saw that Helga was accompanied by a student, his eyes widened. "Good morning, Helga... and Meghan..."

Meghan lowered her eyes again. "Good morning, Professor Slytherin."

"I sssomehow doubt you're here becausse of a problem in Potionss," he said weakly

Helga stepped inside, tugged Meghan in, and closed the door behind them. "No. Meghan here was very clever and put together your illnesses. She wanted to come speak to you."

Salazar tilted his head back a little against the pillow and closed his eyes. "I thought ssshe might."

Meghan took a tentative step closer and really looked at him. He did look -- well, the injuries were no longer visible, but the exhaustion was patent and so, to a lesser degree, were the marks of pain. And something else that Helga recognized, but Meghan probably didn't, as resigned sorrow and a little fear of his own. 

"You --" The girl visibly swallowed one comment and settled quietly for, "You _are_ from near home. I thought you sounded like it."

"Yesssss," Salazar half-hissed tiredly. "Though...to me it hassssn't been 'home' for a...very long time." A sigh, then his eyes opened and fixed on her. "Are you sssscared?"

"...Yes, sir." She hesitated for a long moment, biting her lip, then added, "But maybe not quite as much as at first?"

He chuckled tiredly. "Well. At leasssst you're honesssst. I sssuppossse Helga already told you mosssst of the important thingssss, but...issss there anything you want to assssk me?"

"I don't know." She ventured a step closer and blurted out what she'd almost said in the first place: "You look dreadful." Then she turned bright red instead of pale.

Another chuckle, though this one was bitter. "I usssually do, though my wife doess the bessst ssshe can to patch me up again. It'sss better than it oncccce wassss. At leasssst now I know that there'ss no way I could harm anyone elssssse while the moon issss full."

Helga's mouth twisted slightly at the statement that this was _better_, but she remained silent.

Meghan flinched slightly at the part about knowing he couldn't harm anyone, but looked...a little reassured. "...Sarah would want to help."

"Believe me, there'sss no Parssseltongue cure for lyncanthropy, and the physsssical damage iss healed well enough by Professssor Hufflepuff. The ressst isss jussssst exhausssstion, and there'ssss no cure for that but resssst. Unfortunately." Salazar looked pained. "And...I know ssshe would help, but I would prefer if you didn't... sssshare thissss among the sssstudentssss. I don't want to sssscare anyone elssssse."

"Sarah could figure it out herself. I don't know she hasn't." Meghan shrugged slightly and put her hands behind her back. "I -- I will keep quiet if you want me to."

"If ssshe figuress it out, then ssshe doesss. I would jusssst prefer not to advertisssse it." He looked very pensive. "I won't hurt anyone. I jusssst like to have the chanccce to prove that."

"...I'll keep quiet," she repeated softly. "I...you aren't the way they said, in the stories."

Salazar winced slightly. "I ssssssshould hope not. I've heard enough of the ssstoriessss mysssself. Too many...."

Meghan flushed. "I'm sorry."

"It'ss not _your_ fault. You weren't even born then. You had no way of knowing what wasss truth and what exaggeration. And...I _would_ have been a danger there, had I sssstayed. It wasss besssst I left, for all."

Meghan looked at the floor again; it wasn't something she could argue, but it didn't really seem polite to agree either. "...I'm surprised you let me come."

"You were chossssen for study by Professsssor Hufflepuff. That meansss you belong here."

She darted a glance at Helga. "...Yes, sir."

"Perhaps it's time you head off to join your classmates, dear," Helga suggested. "You have studying to do, and Professor Slytherin needs his rest."

"Yes, Professor Hufflepuff." Meghan didn't seem as frightened by this point, but though she had probably tried to hide it there was still a sense of relief as she turned to go. But she did stop long enough to look at Salazar and say, "I hope you feel better soon."

He smiled weakly. "Thank you. I'll be back to classss ssssoon."

The girl nodded and left quickly. Helga closed the door behind her again, then crossed back over the room to sit on the side of the bed and take Salazar's hand gently. "That went well, I think."

"Ccccertainly better than it could have." The words were mild, but his hand clasped hers with all the strength he had.

Which still wasn't much, at this point, and that always made Helga's heart twist just a little. The fact that there weren't very many truly _old_ werewolves wasn't only because they tended to run afoul of hunters. The transformation took a great deal of energy, and it seemed to sap Salazar's strength just a little more each time despite all their care.

Helga pushed those thoughts out of her head and shifted a little closer to her husband, resting her head against his. "I don't think she'll tell the other students, at least. I don't know if she was planning to tell her parents or not, but I _did_ promise that if she wanted to stay, we'd do our best to convince her parents." 

He laughed shakily. "Do you think sssshe _doesss_? Ssshe ssseemed...." He hesitated. "....Not quite ssso frightened as I had expected, I sssuppossse...."

"She said she wanted to stay, Salazar," she said softly. "She was...a little frightened, at first, but we talked for a while before we came to see you. I think she'll be fine, eventually."

"Ssshe ssstill looked pale." He paused and offered a tiny smile. "Then again, perhapssss I ssshouldn't talk about that jussst now...."

Helga laughed softly and brushed a strand of hair off his forehead, channeling a little more energy into him. "I never said she wasn't still a little scared, but I think she'll get over it in time. I pointed out that she hadn't even known there _was_ a werewolf around except for your absences. That seemed to help a little. I think once she gets used to the idea and spends a few more full moons without anything happening, she'll be fine."

"I'm a little sssurprissed sshe'll even conssider...I can guesss what kind of sstoriess sshe'd have heard. Esspecially...there."

"The both of you said it was before she was even born. I...hadn't realized it had been that long. I thought you were only traveling for a few years before you found us." She kissed his forehead gently. "Now I see why you were so tired."

"And sso...ssshocked at your taking me in?" He pulled her a little closer and sighed. "I did sssay I wass older than I looked."

"I know. It still never quite registered until she said something." She cuddled against him. "I wish we'd found you sooner."

"I'm glad you found me at all."

"_That_ much goes without saying, my darling."

"I thought it couldn't hurt to ssay onccce in a while." His eyes drifted shut again. "I'm sstill a bit sssurprissed Meghan doessn't... choosse to go look for a teacher nearer her home... but then, who would, when the other choicccce iss you...."

"Hmm. Thank you, love. And she'd have a hard time finding any other teacher who'd give her even half the knowledge we can. There's a reason people are choosing to send their children here, you know. You know how many inquiries we've had about next year's class already." She kissed his forehead again lightly. "And I'm sure she knows she couldn't find a better Potions teacher anywhere."

"I'm sssure there _isss_ one. Whether sshe could find them..."

"Perhaps. But then whoever it is wouldn't also be equally skilled in Charms, Transfiguration, Runes, Herbology, et cetera."

Salazar was shaking with laughter by now. "Point taken, my love. And very true."

"Hmph. Don't make me argue with you. I think we're both too tired for that." She snuggled against him. "I don't want to teach class this afternoon."

He sighed and tucked her head under his chin, ignoring the fading cry of the wolf about letting another creature at his throat. "I am ssssorry about putting you through thisss each month..." 

"No apologizing either."

"Yesss, well...."

"No apologizing without actually apologizing," she added with a little yawn. "Besides," she tilted her head up to look at him through half-veiled eyes, "you make it up to me the rest of the month."

"Mmmm. If you sssay sso."

"More than. Never doubt that." She kissed his lips lightly before tucking her head back against his neck.

"I ssshall try." He stroked her back lightly. "...Perhapsss we could imposse on Godric or Rowena to let you ressst...and ssstay with your ssselfissh hussband..."

"Mmmm. Would be nice. But they have classes too." She yawned, her eyes fluttering shut. "But I still have a little while before class..."

"There'ssss the one disssadvantage to thisss ssscheduling ssysssstem. With normal apprenticcccesssshipsss we could be more flexible. But not with ssso many...."

"Mmm. Maybe we should start looking for a new teacher or two to help out next year. It's only going to get harder when we double the number of students."

"That'ss true...."

"Mmm. I'll...talk to Godric and Rowena...in a little while..." Helga's voice trailed off into the even breathing of sleep. Salazar smiled tenderly and kissed her lightly, pulling the blanket over them both.

"Ssleep well, my love," he whispered, closing his own eyes. "And thank you."

*****


	7. Hatching Plans

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Chapter 7: Hatching Plans**

It was a relatively peaceful day, almost the new moon -- just the beginning of the most comfortable time of the month for Salazar, with the next few days to look forward to. He and Helga were curled up in a very cozy blanket that Meghan had knitted over the course of several months. She had learned the patterns from a classmate born in a tiny sailing village, where magic seemed to flicker in and touch even the Muggles' yarnwork. It was a gift in what seemed to be a sort of apology for the girl's initial (and faintly continued) fright; Salazar had made the rather disconcerting discovery that once she was intellectually convinced his lycanthropy was... well contained, she was nearly as unnerved by thinking of him as "belonging" among her aloof local wizards.

The blanket, whatever its motives, contained patterns which would in theory not only keep them warm and dry but give them protection against storms, whirlpools, and sea monsters. Salazar rather doubted that these would ever really be tested, but he found his thoughts wandering in other directions as he traced the twisting ridge of a cloud-charm that he had guessed meant a sea-serpent and a fork of lightning that made him think of chickens. 

"Helga," he said after some time, stroking a lock of hair in a whorl over the whirlpool dispersion, "I think I should like to try hatching a basilisk." 

Helga blinked. "Herpo is not the Greek Parselmouth I thought you were paying attention to lately."

"Well, no, Aesculapius is more relevant for the day-to-day, particularly when Sarah is one's student," he chuckled softly, twining her hair around his finger, releasing it, and twining it again. For some reason, he'd always found the motion very soothing. "But I was thinking when I started training that Runespoor that perhapss he would be a good guardian for me. Except he's not big enough, or likely to be enough of a safeguard. But a basilisk..."

"You're making somewhat less sense than usual, my dear." She traced his jawline lightly with one finger. "Why do you need a magical serpent of any type as a guardian?"

"...For the full moonss."

Helga frowned. "That _is_ what we have the chamber for. I don't see how a basilisk would help; you can't get out as it is. And you already make Godric carry that sword of his down there 'just in case'. How much protection do you _need_?"

"Yess, but...we have new students all the time, with new abilities and talents. And curiosity. There's always the chance that one of them could decide to go exploring and...undo what Godric'ss done." He shivered lightly at even the imagined harm; his greatest fear. "An extra guardian would be one more safeguard for our students." A very faint smile. "The protection isn't for me, love. It's for our school."

Helga frowned for a moment and finally spoke slowly. "I think... that any student with the talent to do that could be warned against unauthorized or untimely expeditions, or just given a place to practice on their own. Still, if you wish another serpent for a guardian -- or companion, or challenge --" she smiled. "I will not argue with you. Only be careful."

"The fastest way to ensure something be done is to forbid it. I...think it would be a good idea." He pressed his lips against her forehead for a moment. "And basilisks are fascinating creatures, truly. A good study for any Parselmouth."

"Hmm. I gather you'll introduce it to Sarah, then?" She raised her eyebrows with a smile.

He wrinkled his nose at her. "Yes, I probably sshall. She was quite good with the Runespoor, even though her interests lie more in _your_ domain."

"You do well enough in 'my' domain as it is, and her other talents may allow her to surpass me in it, one day."

"Surpass you? Imposssible," Salazar vowed steadfastly, kissing her. It was ruined slightly by his low, hissing laughter breaking up the middle of it, but he trailed his lips across her jaw and hissed lightly against her skin. "You are incomparable, my dear. Though Sarah is very talented."

"Mmmm. And you, my beloved, are biased." 

"Biased? I?" Salazar said thoughtfully. "It is possible, I suppose..." He laughed again and kissed her soundly. "But even bias can still see truth. And you forget, I've felt your skill every month for years now. There is no bias required for that."

"I've not forgotten." She ran her hand through his hair -- finally starting to silver, though he said this was very early yet for someone in his family. "Do you think there's any chance the basilisk would...ease the time for you at all?"

He frowned at her. "Easse it? It would rest my mind before and after, knowing it was out there if something happened and I got out of the Chamber. I'm not a Parselmouth as a wolf, so I wouldn't be able to get past."

"Mind-ease is something, yes, but I meant... So far as I understand it, a werewolf's bite only turns humans, not that a basilisk's scales are easy to pierce anyway. From a few things you've said...I wondered if a beast, another predator, might dull the rage a little." She hesitated, then shook her head. "I'm sorry. Fool's hope, I suppose."

He hissed thoughtfully. "I don't know. It always seems... harsher in the Chamber. Like I was more in control in the forests. Though I don't know if that was becausse I wasn't around so many humans, I _was_ around so many animals, or I could run free. But yes, I wouldn't be able to bite the basilisk. That's... something, I suppose."

Helga winced a little, involuntarily; she knew the enclosure made things worse for him in some ways, and she hated it, and this was the first time in years that he'd actually _said_ so, at least without adding in the previous or next breath that it was wonderful because he couldn't hurt anyboy. She cuddled against him and rubbed at the nape of his neck; Salazar hissed in the back of his throat. "I would be glad of any way to make it easier," she said softly.

"It's still worth it, to know there's no way to hurt anyone. Such a thing is worth any price."

There it was. She'd thought for a moment that maybe he had realized they didn't need reassuring that he thought that, even if it was hard to know... "I know, Salazar. But still...I would not have it worse than necessary."

"I'm not particularly fond of that mysself," he replied dryly, leaning his head against hers. "Well, a basilisk would be one more safeguard at least. At most...well, we'll see what happens. I...don't dare dream for more."

"No, I suppose not." She reached up and slid her fingers through his hair. "I shall dream for you, if you like."

He made a noise between a hiss and a purr as he leaned his head into her touch. "I think it upsets you more than me, so dream all you like." A very quiet sigh. "I never meant to cause you such worry, month after month."

"Shh. _You're_ certainly not to blame for it, and I worry over you because I care." And because the results did seem to be getting worse. It had always sickened her to find the injuries; she still had trouble believing the stone was truly better for him than silver... but the silver might sap his strength worse than the bruises and bites, ultimately. 

He was silent for a long moment, then said slowly, "Part of me still says I should never have involved you." He noticed her tensing slightly and held her closer. "But the rational part of me knows I could never have kept you away, as friend or love. And I'm glad for it more than I'm sorry."

"Good." She settled into his arms and relaxed again. "I much prefer to be involved."

"Still a strange idea, people wanting to be involved. I think I'm almosst used to it by now, but...I don't think I ever truly will be." He kissed her meditatively. "I love you."

"I love you too." She worked her fingers down to his scalp and stroked it, eyes half-shut. "And at least you believe it now. I am thankful for that."

"I still believe you are strange people, but it is a strangeness I'm very fond of."

Helga chuckled and kissed him softly. "I suppose I can't argue with that one, for a number of reasons. We're very fond of you too, though, so it works out."

"More strangenes," he laughed in return. "Who would ever have thought it would take getting bit by a werewolf to find the best friends in your life?"

"Mmm... you would have had others, I'm sure, if things had gone otherwise. But I am very glad to know you."

"I would never have had anyone as splendid as you," he declared firmly with a kiss. "Nor as true of friends as Godric and Rowena. That is fact."

"I am certainly not inclined to argue." She put her arms around his neck and blinked at him. "Even if I occasionally talk while we are kissing."

He leaned his head against her shoulder and shook with silent laughter for a moment, probably more amused at the comment than was truly warranted. Finally he looked back up, grinned at her, and pressed his lips against hers, hissing highly suggestive comments against her lips. Eventually he moved to nibble on her neck lazily and murmured, "I don't mind."

"Mmmm. Judging from your expression, I suspect that I...want a translation..."

"Hmmm. If you like. I wass thinking that a demonsssstration might be in order."

"Better still."

He hissed softly in laughter and anticipation and proceeded to translate. With great attention to detail.

*****

Godric flopped down in his usual comfortable chair by the fire in the staffroom with a heavy groan. "Fourteen explosions. _Fourteen_. Either the students are getting worse, _I_ am, or they're doing it on purpose."

When the other occupant of the room made no reply to this beyond a distracted hiss, Godric craned his neck around to look at Salazar crouched over in his favored carved green chair, frowning at the book in his lap. "Problem, Sal?"

An irritable hiss. "Why doessn't thiss blassted book ssay anything about how to make the bloody toad _sssstay_!"

Godric pondered this exasperated question for a moment before deciding that he had, in fact, probably heard it correctly but that it did not seem to make a great deal of sense. Just in case the first conclusion was incorrect, he inquired cautiously, "Did you say a _toad_? I didn't think those were your area."

"They're _not_, or thiss would be eassier!"

"Er." Godric paused, then offered, "At least they aren't exploding. ...Are they?"

Salazar chuckled slightly. "No. But this would be sso much easier if I could jusst use a _ssnake_ to do it! They'd _lissten_ to me." He frowned and picked up a book from the small stack at his feet. He started to leaf through it and muttered, "Maybe a modified Leg-Locker..."

Godric succumbed to curiosity, levered himself out of his chair, and came around to look over Salazar's shoulder. "What in the world are you working on that requires Leg-Locking a _toad_?"

Salazar waved the first book under Godric's nose in explanation, but that didn't help much as it was written entirely in Greek.

"Er..." Godric picked the book up and flipped through it. Though the words were incomprehensible -- and he _knew_ Greek would've been more useful than Sumerian, blast it! -- there were a few carefully penned illustrations of a rather impressive serpent and...a toad sitting on a giant egg. "Salazar...are you trying to hatch a _basilisk_?"

"Yesssss." The elongated sibilant was as good as an eyeroll.

Well, that would, Godric thought a bit dazedly, explain the toad. "_Why?_" He paused. On reflection, this was a rather silly question. Because it was a magical serpent and an interesting experiment and he _could_ -- well, if the toad were cooperating, which it wasn't. Still.... "Ah, do you need somewhere to keep it away from the students?"

Salazar grinned. "If you'd let me ansswer your _firsst_ question, you'd have an ansswer to your second. I want to keep it in the Chamber's antechamber." 

Gradually in the past few years, they'd taken to referring to Salazar's werewolf chamber as simply "the Chamber", both as shorthand and so no one else knew what they were talking about. Godric had, at various points while bored and waiting for moonset, expanded the space just outside the Chamber into a rather impressive series of rooms. The three of them could wait, chat, and probably even play sports in the large space, should they ever take the notion.

Godric blinked. "...Well, that should make life interesting."

"I'd teach it properly. It would be no danger to you or the others, of coursse. But I--" Salazar hesitated for a moment. "I was talking to Helga and we agreed it would make an excellent safeguard. I _can't_ get past it while transformed even if I get out of the Chamber itsself."

"The stone isn't going to give," Godric protested, "and I'd rather have to fight you myself than lose you to an accident with a basilisk if it _did_." 

"We have more sstudents every year, and one of them could be a stoneworker just as easily as I found a Parselmouth. I would train the basilisk." Salazar snorted. "And if it comes to a fight, better I fight an _animal_ that I can't hurt than a human that will jusst make the wolf angrier."

"I can _stun_ you, and _have_; can a basilisk fight without killing?"

"If trained, yess."

"Ah. I suppose that's all right then."

Salazar hissed under his breath. "There'ss some risk, yess, but frankly, I'd be much _calmer_ dealing with a sserpent than with you in wolf form. Ssomething about humans... intensifies everything. I think that's why the transformations got worsse..." Salazar trailed off and shook his head. "Anyway, as you said, it should never come down to that. The stone will hold. Jusst consider it an experiment."

"I am sorry," Godric said quietly. "We didn't realize, that the school would make that worse...."

"The sschool is _worth_ it," Salazar said firmly. "And so are you. I didn't mean to sound like I was complaining."

Godric's mouth quirked. "You don't complain nearly as much as _I_ do, and you have greater cause. Don't worry if you do." He hesitated. "Would _I_ be able to get past the basilisk? To let you out again?"

"That would be part of its training. To recognize you three and let by no one else."

"Ah... Please tell me that's by scent."

Salazar grinned. "What, you don't want it to know you by ssight? What happened to that vaunted Gryffindor courage?"

Godric bumped him lightly in the shoulder with the book he was still holding. "I'll have to smooth out the floor better in that case, so I can walk it blind myself."

"Sshow-off."

Godric blinked. "What?"

"Well, you don't _need_ to. Did you not _read_ anything in that book, Godric?" Salazar snatched it back and quickly flipped to the appropriate page. "Basilisks _have_ eyelids. How else would they not kill each other?"

"I don't read Greek. I read Sumerian." Salazar gave him a very odd look. "And there are, theoretically, other possibilities. At any rate, if it's _supposed_ to look at me...."

"Snakes have an exccellent sense of smell. It will use lethal force only if necesssary. I don't want a sstudent wandering down by mistake and getting killed!"

"Recognition by sight was your idea. But yes, I know, not to mention that seems to have been a main point of the exercise." Godric grinned down at him. "Aside, I would guess, from the fact that you find the idea of raising a basilisk rather appealing."

"There isss that," Salazar admitted, returning the grin. "What's the point of having a Parselmouth at the school if I don't sstudy magical sserpents?"

"And the Runespoor isn't enough even with three voices." Godric leaned on the back of the chair and looked thoughtful. "I might be able to coax a toad to stay put, at that.... they tend to be fairly well grounded...."

"Oh _good_. I don't think a Leg-Locker would work, and I was sstarting to think I'd have to _hold_ it there the whole time!"

Godric snickered softly. "Now _that_ one would be interesting to explain...."

Salazar waved dismissively. "Easy. I'd just say you'd put a hex on me that you hadn't figured out how to lift yet. No one would bat an eye."

"Mm-hmm. Naturally. Involving an egg and a toad."

Salazar levied a quelling look at him. "Says the man who once attached a live roosster to his leg for a week." He winced. "Rooster. Speaking of, I suppose I should put up some ssilencing charms."

"Rowena and I try to test the stranger ones on _ourselves_ first, you know that." He paused. "Oh, I forgot that. ...Should we switch to geese?"

"Well, I don't plan to let it wander the school anyway. A seriess of silencing charms around the anteChamber will do nicely." Salazar made a face. "Probably sshould've had them up before, in case a sstudent realized the howling wasn't coming from the Forest on full moons."

"It's not that loud, nor that frequented an area -- but not a bad idea." 

"Every little bit helps. We're really very lucky that only Meghan has found me out sso far."

"Ah..." Godric sounded faintly uncomfortable. "I'd be very surprised if Sarah doesn't suspect. Other than that, though..."

Salazar paused, closed his book very deliberately, placed it on the floor with the others, and leaned forward to eye Godric. "Iss there a _reasson_ you think ssso? And a reasson you haven't _told_ me before now!"

Godric sighed. "She's fairly good friends with Meghan, she spends quite a bit of time working with you and Helga, and I assumed you knew _from_ Helga that she had been the one to make a joke about men having moon-times the day Meghan asked about it."

"...No, Helga never mentioned it." Salazar sighed. "Blassst. I'm ssorry."

"Don't be." Godric shook his head and set a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You know Sarah, Salazar, and if she has made the connection she clearly isn't upset about it... not enough to be noticeably uncomfortable around you or Helga, at any rate."

"No, but...every persson who findss out iss one more who might let ssomething sslip. And if _sshe_ could work it out, sso could ssomeone elsse. I jussst..." He shook his head slightly. "I worry, Godric. I don't want to be the causse of any problemss here." Another sigh. "At leasst Sarah is wizard-born. The Muggles are ever worsse about moving out with silver blades if they even _suspect_ a werewolf is around..."

Godric looked at him sidelong. "Meghan's weren't."

"Meghan is _sstill_ scared of me, though she deals with it well."

"True. Though I get the idea half that now is that you're from one of the wizarding families she's... somewhat familiar with."

Salazar snorted and said bitterly, "I'm not from _any_ family. But with occasional excceptions aside, the point sstands."

Godric folded his arms and leaned against the chair thoughtfully. "I think Meghan has the vague impression that _her_ family could have something unpleasant done to them on account of her association with you, if yours were aware. I believe Helga's assured her this is unlikely. ...Are the wizards in your area unusually alarming or something?"

Salazar shrugged. "Just very...closse-knit. There are a few families and they're all fairly well interrelated by now anyway. Outside wizards do just as poorly as the Muggles do."

"Ah." A pause. "...Just as poorly how?"

"Driven off." Salazar's mouth quirked. "And despite what the local Muggles would tell you, _not_ by feeding anyone to dragons. Muggle gives them indigesstion." Salazar grinned. "The wizards there jusst happen to have perfected the art of being very, _very_ intimidating."

Godric covered his eyes. "It's a wonder she came here at all. Or no, she was probably hoping to get away from them...."

"They jusst wanted to be left alone. By anyone who wasn't one of them." Salazar's face grew somber and he looked away to shield the sudden sadness in his eyes. "Well. Hopefully Meghan will improve the impression of magical folk in that area."

Godric hesitated, then squeezed Salazar's shoulder. "If she goes back there, perhaps she will. Too bad for that purpose that you couldn't stay, though I'm grateful you found your way to us."

"When I was there, I wassn't any different."

"Well." Silence for a moment. "...We all learn. And she does _like_ you, you know that, even if she fears you a little with it."

"I know." Salazar sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling as though he expected it to give him the answer. (It was the wrong part of the castle for that, of course. Only the dormitory ceilings actually spoke, though the students would no doubt be horrified that their professors could keep track of them this way.) "Ssometimes I try to remember what it was like when everyone jusst...knew me and liked me, without the fear. But I can't anymore." Another moment of pensive silence, then he shook his head sharply and reached back down for his books. "Enough foolisshnes. I have a basilisk to breed."

"That's not foolishness. I'm not afraid of you. And most of the students are no more so than they ought to be of their teacher." 

"Not the same. And only because they don't know."

"....True."

Salazar shrugged. "And it _is_ foolishness. There are more important things to worry about. Such as, do you think you can come convince my toad to sit on an egg for a while?"

"On the other hand, maybe I _should_ be afraid of you," Godric said without missing a beat. "And yes, I can at least try. Just be sure to feed it well."

Salazar looked offended. "Of course. I know how to deal with animals, Godric. I _sshould_." 

"Well, I was thinking about those pictures -- I don't think a dish would work quite right after a while, if they're accurate." 

"Herpo was neither an artist nor a writer, unfortunately," Salazar said with a slightly rueful grin as the two men made their way out of the staffroom and down into the bowels of the castle that housed the Chamber. "But he managed to be intelligible enough. I think I have a fairly good idea of what to do."

"What _I_ want to know," said Godric, who had come up with a fair number of equally improbable ideas himself, "is how one comes up with the idea of using a toad and a chicken to get a serpent in the first place."

"Accident. The egg was supposed to be breakfast, but he forgot about it, and sstored the toad there for another experiment. Fortunately he noticed the toad was dead before looking at what hatched."

"Hm. No wonder you keep giving me and Rowena wary looks when we mention food and experiments in the same minute."

"I give you and Rowena wary looks twenty times a day."

Godric turned to him in shock. "Only twenty? We must be slipping."

"No, I'm just getting used to you."

"Hmph." The rooms approaching the Chamber opened out before them; Godric surveyed the area and moved on into the anteChamber, still looking around curiously. The stones seemed almost to turn their attention toward him as he passed; much of the castle was arguably a little bit alive by now, and this was more recently modified. "So where's this toad of yours? I see the egg." It was sitting in a very nice little nest. With a warming charm snuggled around it, but no toad.

Salazar muttered something that sounded very much like "Not _again_!" before calling out, "_Accio!_" A toad came zipping out of a corner, trying to hop away in mid-air before coming to rest in Salazar's hand. "Why can't you jusst stay put?" A sigh. "Here, see what you can do with him, Godric."

Godric smothered a laugh and accepted the toad, holding the kicking amphibian up in front of his face for a moment before kneeling beside the nest, toad still aloft and struggling. "I'll let you down now," he said conversationally, "but you'll have to stay there." He set the toad carefully on top of the egg and his hand firmly on its back. "See, it's nice and cozy... and stable... and you'll have plenty to eat as long as you're there. ...And a really unusual child," he added in a mutter. He focused magic carefully through the palm of his hand and down through the toad -- and the egg, hopefully that wouldn't be a problem -- into the stone. "Hm. Wait just a minute..." He closed his eyes, raised his wand in his free hand, and announced "_Accio_ toadstool." 

He decided he should try to remember to modify that for the path of least resistance. He had to get a second toadstool after the first tried to go through a large mass of stone and got squashed. 

"There we go...." He broke off the top and slid it carefully underneath the egg, then gave toad and deadly mushroom another light jolt of stone-magic. "That should do it." The toad tensed slightly and then hunkered down comfortably as if deciding it was in the right place after all. "See if the egg's still all right."

Salazar bent down close enough that the toad blinked at him oddly -- but didn't move -- and hissed softly to the egg. "Seems all right. Thank you." He summoned the toad provender he'd gathered earlier and set it where the toad could eat without moving off the egg. "I'll keep a closse eye on it, but it shouldn't take too long."

Godric peered at the dubious toad and grinned. "So how long after it's hatched will we be able to meet the baby?"

"However long it takes for me to be sure it won't look at you. I've never trained a basilisk before. I'm not sure how long that will take. A few days, perhapss."

"They learn quick, I take it -- will _you_ be all right?"

"Serpents are highly intelligent, magical ones more so, and being able to speak to them greatly helps in training." Salazar smiled. "And yes, I'll be fine. No serpent, even a young one, would want to harm a Parselmouth, and I'll be sure to keep my eyes closed until it understands."

"All right then." Godric's mouth quirked. "We'll bring food down beforehand."

"Bribery always works," Salazar agreed with a grin.

*****


	8. Baby Basilisk

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Chapter 8**

Helga frowned and muttered as an earthquake shook her bed, curling up tighter around her husband in hopes it would go away. She came fully awake as she tried to curl around thin air and realized the "earthquake" was just Salazar jumping out of bed. She pushed the hair out of her eyes irritably and blinked sleepily at him. True, he usually rose before her, having a great deal of trouble sleeping most nights, but he'd grown skilled at _not_ waking her. "Wha'smatter?"

Luckily Salazar knew how to translate Sleepy Helga and came back over to kiss her quickly. "Go back to sssleep," he told her, his voice excited. "I jussst have to go to the Chamber. The egg'ss hatching!"

"The -- oh!" Helga sat up, still a bit fuzzy but slightly more alert. "Do you need anything?"

Salazar grinned at her. "Baby formula?" He finished pulling on his robes and kissed her once more, practically dancing in his excitement. "Can you work out ssubsstitutess for me, love? I don't know how long I'll be. I have to get down there. I love you!"

He was out the door before she could do more than laugh. Helga puzzled over this for a moment, then decided that the minced meat and milk they'd given the infant Runespoor would probably do to start. Perhaps she should put an egg in it. No, wait, maybe not for something that hatched from a chicken's egg... well, she'd start with the other. 

Salazar rushed into the anteChamber to find the toad croaking anxiously as the egg, now gone soft and leathery for the sake of the reptile inside it, rocked and bulged intermittently. He removed the toad and Banished it, gently, to a safe corner as a tiny opening appeared in the egg, then shut his eyes.

The baby basilisk, feeling altogether too confined and rather hungry, struggled against the eggshell and pushed hard with her nose until there was a little cracking tear, and while still tight, the pressure began to ease as the split opened. She hissed and redoubled her efforts, thrusting frantically against the boundary in hopes of getting out into the open air. She was hatching, she should hunt....

But there was a low, comforting hissing, soothing her as she struggled the rest of the way out of the egg. It must be Mother. The soothing hiss and a remembered odd croaking from Before blended together in her mind, and as she finished squirming out she looked up inquiringly to see what Mother looked like.

...Would _she_ grow up to look like that? Looking between her own long, slender, scaled body and the immense creature before her, she couldn't quite see _how_, but that comforting hiss was coming from it so it _must_ be Mother. She slithered trustingly up and hissed, "Hungry!"

"You will have food," Salazar hissed back, tilting his head a little as a soft skitter of crockery on stone indicated that one of his friends had sent a dish in. He felt for it -- found it -- dipped his fingers in and rolled up a little ball of the milk and meat. "Here. Take it carefully -- don't touch me with your fangs."

She knew fangs. They were for putting into food, not Mother. The smell drove her wild -- something already killed, so it wouldn't wriggle, she wasn't sure _what_ it was but it smelled so good! She flicked her tongue out carefully nonetheless, and made sure even with it smeared around what was food and what was Mother, and then took it carefully and swallowed it down. That was better. But she was still hungry. "More?" she hissed hopefully.

"Yes. But shut your eyes." 

That was confusing. "Why?" She ate with her mouth, not her eyes, and she had to _open_ her mouth.

"Because your eyes can hurt me just like your fangs can, little one. You need to keep them closed when you aren't hunting."

"Hhhh." She flicked her tongue thoughtfully and lowered the opaque little folds of scales over the clear ones that protected her large eyes most of the time. This made it dark, like in the egg, but she could still move freely -- and heat and scent showed her Mother almost as well as her eyes had, though the rest of the big space wasn't as distinct. "Don't want to hurt Mother. Eyes closed now."

"Good," Salazar praised warmly, very carefully opening his eyes and looking at the ground. He pulled out a small bit of polished metal and tilted it so he could see the basilisk's head. At least if there was a problem, he'd only be petrified, not dead. But its eyes were closed as promised, so he put away the mirror and scooped out another little ball of meat and milk to offer.

He looked at his new beauty as she -- no hint of the red crest even a young male would sport -- gulped down the food with an eager little hiss. She _was_ lovely, sleek and sinuous with bright green scales that shimmered faintly in the low lighting. Her eyes were large, giving her head a slightly distorted look if one was more accustomed to traditional serpents, and protectively covered by a thin layer of scales.

She was eating eagerly anything he gave her, but daintily so he only felt a light flick of her tongue each time before she swallowed the new morsel. She ate all of the meat in the dish and then stuck her head in with interest to lap up the leftover milk and juices -- despite the fact that she would have _fit_ in the dish if she curled up. Salazar eyed the eggshell and wondered if she was already growing: did her skin look tighter on her, or was that just because she was stuffed enough to bulge considerably all along her middle? 

At last she came back over to his hand, tasting the mess left on his fingers, and then rubbed her head against his palm. "_Warm_. What kind of food was that? All squishy."

"My friends made it especially for you. We were all very excited about you being born. They can't wait to come see you." He scratched her head gently.

"Frieeenddssss?" The whole word was oddly drawn out; she nuzzled his wrist and then started trying to climb onto his arm. "...Warm."

He chuckled and picked her up with the hand she _wasn't_ trying to climb, giving her a boost so she could slither up his arm. "I think you need a name, little one."

"Do I?" Mother smelled nice. Didn't smell like _her_ though. Maybe she could ask about that.

"Yes, everyone needs a name. My name is Salazar. And _yours_ is..." He hmmed thoughtfully and looked at her for a moment. "Sharessa."

She considered this for a moment. "So that means me." She reached his shoulder and began investigating his hair "...Do I grow this later?"

Salazar blinked, then chuckled. "No, little one, you don't grow hair at all. Basilisks have lovely scales like you, not skin and hair like me."

She hissed confusion directly into his ear. "Aren't you Mother? What are you then?"

Salazar managed to hold in a bark of laughter only by great force of will. "No, I'm not your mother. I, er, suppose you could call me your father, if you wished. I'm a human -- a wizard, actually -- and a Parselmouth, which is how I can speak to you. I helped hatch you."

"Sss. So that's why you smell so different." She worked her way around the back of his neck and tucked her head under his chin. "Nice though. Father then."

He scratched under her chin. "Well, thank you, Sharessa."

"Warm," she remarked again. "More food?"

"Hungry again already? You're going to be as thick as a tree trunk before long. Wait a little while and I'll get some more." He frowned thoughtfully, then banished the now-empty dish back to Helga. Hopefully she'd send in more. He didn't want to leave Sharessa this early, not even to get her more food.

She draped comfortably on him for a bit, then whispered, "Do we just wait for it to come? Can you make it do that?" She lifted her head, tongue flickering. "I smell a food-creature. I think..." She sounded a bit doubtful. "Smells like home, too. Can I look around now?"

"_No_," he replied firmly but not sharply. "Sharessa, it's very important for you to remember this. You _cannot_ open your eyes when any other creature is in the room, unless you're hunting. And even then you need to be very careful. You cannot forget, or you could kill someone. Me, or one of my friends."

"Don't want to hurt you," she said meekly. "But not _ever_?"

"Not while anyone is around, or we won't be able to visit you safely. I'll close up the Chamber when I'm gone so you can look all around here, though."

"Would like to see you," she sighed, "but want you live too, so won't." She nuzzled him. "Can see you being warm, anyway...."

"Well, if you warn me first, I could close _my_ eyes for a few minutes so you could open yours. But you can see far better without eyes than I can. I can't see _your_ warmth, or smell you very well. Humans are different that way."

"You can't _smell_?" The hiss sounded startled and a bit pitying. "Couldn't you tell me from another snake by smell at all?"

A soft chuckle. "I can smell, just not as well as _you_ can. And no, I can't tell you from another snake just by smell. I can, however, do other things." He whispered a summoning charm and brought back the food dish, followed by a stream of food that arced over them and landed in the dish.

"Sss!" Sharessa was obviously impressed, and nosed curiously at the food for a little while before beginning to eat it on her own. "Strange stuff, this. Very soft."

"It was made special for you. I know you'll be able to hunt on your own soon, but I wanted to have something for you first."

"Yum." Since the edge had been taken off her hunger earlier, it wasn't difficult for her to pause in her eating and give his hand an adoring nuzzle.

Salazar smiled at her in a very besotted manner as she daintily finished eating. What a beauty she was! And so smart! It would take even less time than he thought to train her to introduce her to the others. She was easily the most intelligent serpent he'd ever spoken with, and only just hatched!

Sharessa was quite as fascinated with him -- so warm, and interesting, and with such a nice hissing voice -- and rather intrigued with the idea that were more like him (even if most wouldn't be able to talk with her) and he'd let her smell and taste and feel them even if she couldn't open her eyes.

Finally Salazar didn't think he could restrain his bursting pride much longer and asked Sharessa, "Do you think you can remember to keep your eyes closed if I bring my friends in to visit you for a little while?"

"I will remember. I haven't forgotten yet, have I? They shed slower than skins."

"I just have to be sure. I can't take any chances with my friends' lives." Salazar scratched the top of her head soothingly, then set her down carefully in the warm nest her egg had been resting in. "Stay here for a little while and I'll go get them."

As an afterthought, just before he left the anteChamber, he summoned the toad to him to release outside.

Even if Godric hadn't already been told by Helga about the hatching, meeting his friend carrying a toad down the hall would have tipped him off. "I hear it worked?"

Salazar's face was lit from within and wreathed by a big smile. "Yessss, it worked! She's beautiful, Godric, just beautiful, and ssso smart!"

"Talking right out of the egg, is she?"

"Talking, understanding, asking questions! You have to come meet her. Where are the ladies?"

"Soothing a tree that got a little overexcited; we just finished replanting it. I wouldn't have guessed Tarantallegra would work on roots, would you?"

"What? No." Salazar shook his head, his thoughts too full of baby basilisk to worry about Godric's oddities. He grabbed his friend's arm and tugged. "Come on, Godric, you have to meet her!"

"All right, all right! Do you want me to call them in first or should we start with one new introduction at a time...?"

"Helga will kill me if she's not the first to meet her, and Rowena will kill us both if sshe's not included," Salazar laughed. "Better call them."

"Excellent points both." Godric knocked thoughtfully on the nearest wall; out on the grounds, a patch of mud next to Rowena's feet humped itself up into an egg and then rolled out into a snake. A more standard message-charm winged up moments later; both witches arrived, laughing, within minutes. "So tell us how the little one is," Helga suggested mischievously. "Did she like her breakfast?"

"She loved it," Salazar pronounced, beaming. He swept Helga up into an enthusiastic kiss. "She said it was ssquishy, but very tasty. She ate every last bite, and then licked the bowl. She's so beautiful, Helga! Wait until you ssee her!" He started tugging her down the hall, still beaming like a proud papa.

"Some of your compliments to me are cast in a new light," she said teasingly. "I'm sure she is, though. She understands about her eyes already?"

"She _iss_ beautiful, just in a different way from you. She's such a lovely shade of green, and her scales sshine. And yess, she understands about keeping her eyes closed. She said she'd like to see me, but would rather me be alive."

"Well, _that's_ an excellent sentiment. I agree completely."

He chuckled. "So do I. Just a moment." They'd reached the door marking the start of the anteChamber, carved with serpents. Salazar hissed softly, "I'm back Sharessa, with my friends. Are your eyes still closed?"

An answering hiss with a faint hint of annoyance, but mostly excitement. "I _said_ I'd keep them closed, Father! I want to meet your friends."

"She's looking forward to meeting you," Salazar told them happily. "And sshe does have her eyes shut." 

Sharessa did indeed have her eyes shut -- and her tongue out, tasting the air hopefully for her first scent of the new people. 

"My goodness," Helga murmured at her first glimpse. "If you hadn't _said_ she ate it all, I'd think I had fixed too much food."

"I even had to ssend for more," Salazar chuckled, kneeling down to let the infant basilisk curl around his arm and tilt her head up alertly at the others, her tongue flicking out and the thin scales over her eyes shimmering slightly. "This is Sharessa."

"She _is_ pretty." Helga knelt beside him; she'd actually had somewhat more trouble getting used to the idea of being comfortable around serpents -- real rather than symbolic ones, anyway -- than werewolves, but with a Parselmouth husband, well... she _had_ gotten used to it, and was perfectly sincere when she asked, "Is it all right if I touch her?"

"Yess, just be gentle."

The admonition was unnecessary, as Helga's touch was characteristically light when she stroked the smooth head. "Ooooh," Sharessa sighed, leaning her head into the strokes. "That feels nice. Who is she? I like her. Oh, don't stop."

"She likes you," Salazar murmured, "and likes your touch." He switched to Parseltongue and told the basilisk, "This is Helga, and she is my wife."

Sharessa flicked her tongue over Helga's hand curiously. "Does that make her Mother?"

He smiled. "I suppose it does. --Helga, do you mind if she calls you Mother?"

Helga looked somewhat nonplussed, especially when Sharessa slithered off Salazar's arm and onto _hers_, but she replied, "Er, no, I suppose not. I must admit I never thought I'd be mother to an infant basilisk..."

"Well," Salazar explained, "sshe callss me Father, and I'm hardly going to try introduccing her to the toad or the chickenss!"

"Wise decision," she returned gravely, then looked faintly anxious. "What _did_ happen to the toad? Or should I not ask."

"I sset it loose when Godric and I were waiting for you." Salazar turned to face the other two with an expectant look, ready to hear more praise of his basilisk. "Well? What do you think?"

"Lovely, as you said," Godric replied dutifully, stepping forward to scratch Sharessa's head at the tiny ridges where her eyelids met her head. She nearly fell off Helga's arm in sheer ecstacy. Godric looked rather startled. "Is she all right?"

"Sshe's enjoying it," Salazar laughed. "Keep on." 

"She _is_ a lovely little thing. Is she growing already?" Rowena asked with interest. "The skin looks a bit tight, somehow, and I don't just mean in her middle!"

"I thought that when she was jusst out of the egg. I don't know if she _does_ grow that fasst, or if her sskin is just sstill catching up to her." Still beaming, Salazar added in a hiss to Sharessa, "They all think you're lovely and are _very_ pleased to meet you."

"Of course I'm lovely. I looked at me before you said to close my eyes." She stretched over and flicked her tongue affectionately at him. "Looked at you too. Strange, but very good."

Well, one thing basilisks certainly didn't lack was self-esteem! Salazar chuckled softly. "Thank you, my beauty."

"Like you lots," she told him warmly. Then, after a moment, an irritated non sequitur. "My skin itches."

"That's because you're growing," Salazar said wisely, scratching her again. "You'll get too big for your skin soon and shed it, and have a brand new skin underneath."

"Ohhh..." She flicked her tongue at him again. "Father knows _everything_."

"Not _quite_," Salazar admitted with a grin. "But I have known quite a few serpents."

"Oh." Sharessa ducked her head and looked slightly disappointed. "Others like _me_?"

"No..." Salazar caressed the looping spine and kindly refrained from laughing. "I would have to say, none quite like you." 

"Gooooooood." She drew the hiss for that out considerably and rubbed against Salazar's hand.

"Friendly, isn't she?" Helga murmured, then looked mischievous. "Or is she just trying to start her skin off?"

"Ssome of both, I think," Salazar admitted sheepishly. "She said it itches." He sighed happily as he pull her back into his own hands and draped her around his shoulder. "Isn't she _wonderful_?"

"Delightful," Rowena agreed with only a hint of laughter.

Sharessa nudged Salazar's ear. "Tired."

He petted her warmly. "Then you should rest. I'll put you back in your nest, if you're comfortable there."

"Yes." She sighed. "More comfortable on you...."

"You need your own nest now that you're hatched." He uncoiled her gently and set her back down with a scritch on her eye ridges. "Sleep well, little darling."

"I will." She nuzzled him. "Goodbye."

"I'll see you soon, and send down something for you to hunt." He patted her once more, then straightened and stretched. "We sshould probably go now," he said to his friends. "She's going to take a nap." He beamed once more at her. "Isn't sshe _beautiful_?"

They agreed, still amused but sincere enough, and left the serpent to whatever a baby basilisk might dream about.

*****


	9. Heir of Slytherin

__

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended.

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and PersephoneKore  
Chapter 9: Heir of Slytherin**

Sharessa grew rapidly in the ensuing days; Salazar worried a little about how fast she shed skins, but she seemed happy enough about it. He saved them all very carefully -- after all, who knew what importance they might have later on?

And then came the full moon, and he realized that afternoon that he hadn't yet explained what was to happen.

He sat watching as she feasted enthusiastically on the mice he'd brought, pensive and edgy at the same time. The full moon always brought that out in him. "You're going to have some company tonight," he finally hissed quietly. "Godric will be spending part of the night down here."

Sharessa swallowed a mouse and flicked her tongue in his direction curiously. "Why?"

"As...protection. There will be a...beast in the Chamber tonight. He seals it in, and guards for a time afterward. I hatched you partially so you could be an extra guard in case it gets out."

The basilisk ate her last mouse tidily and came over to him; she was as thick as his calf already and as long as he was. Definitely a magical part to the growth. "What kind of beast?"

He scratched her head, trying to quiet the wolf inside. He still had a few more hours of humanity, blast it! "A werewolf."

Sharessa hissed worriedly and climbed up around his shoulders; she could smell him being agitated, and there was an odd edge to his scent otherwise.... "What is a werewolf? And what should I do?"

"A werewolf is...a furry creature, about so high, with fangs and claws and a hatred of humans. It is completely irrational during the full moon, and would do anything to hurt humans. It's _very_ unlikely that it would break out of the Chamber once Godric seals it, but if it ever happens...you should protect Godric, and the others, at all costs. Stop it." He swallowed hard. "Kill it if you must."

"Killing is easy," Sharessa said casually. "Stopping is harder, probably. Why are you upset?"

"Try to stop it first without killing, little one," he said softly, scratching her head. "Only kill if there's no other way to stop it, but don't hesitate if that is the case."

"If it hates humans, why do you want it alive? I don't want it to hurt you. Is it like a wolf? I know wolf, it's in my words, even if I haven't met it. And why are you upset?"

"A werewolf is a...special kind of wolf. It's not a wolf all the time, only during a full moon. The rest of the time it's...a human. That's why I want to keep it alive."

"Oh. Your friend?"

"No werewolf deserves to be killed just because it's a werewolf," Salazar said more sharply than he intended.

She hissed softly in his ear. "I know, I know, humans are not food. You've said so, Father. But you smell upset. Sad, scared... a little angry. I thought maybe it was because it was a friend you had to shut up and have hate you." She tasted him again, thoughtfully. "Or you?"

He hissed out a long, shuddering breath. "Yesssssssss. I'm the one who turns into a monster who hates humans and would kill my friends if I had a chance." He stood suddenly and started pacing around the room.

"Sss!" Sharessa didn't have a very good grip, and slipped looping to the floor when he stood; irritated, she followed his strides determinedly and tangled herself up in his legs so that he had to stop or fall over. "You _dropped_ me," she said rather reproachfully, climbing up him again until she could tuck her head under his chin. "Ss... I would be upset too, if I thought I would suddenly want to hurt you."

"I'm sorry, lovely one. I didn't mean to drop you. I'm jusssssssssssst...agitated, this time of the month." He scratched her chin, trying to calm himself.

"I wasn't hurt." She nuzzled him. "Can I do anything?"

"...Stop me before I do something unforgivable," Salazar said very softly.

"You won't. Godric keeps strong stone, and if you got out, I would hold you still."

He smiled weakly. "Which was part of why I hatched you. I know you will do well. I still...hate this time."

"I can see why." She flickered her tongue against his jaw. "Well. Not _see_."

"No, not see." He closed his own eyes and scratched her head. "I'm very glad you're here now. I...feel like I'm losing my mind more and more each time, but I can't tell _them_ that. I wanted something...extra. To protect them."

"You seem to have your mind, to me. But I have only known you as long as I've been alive."

"...They have been everything to me. I can't risk them."

"You are everything to me. I will do what you want." She put her nose thoughtfully against his ear -- it didn't fit inside anymore -- and then settled back down. "But I will not kill you, Father. If I can keep from it at all. If nothing else works, I will bite you, but I won't use very much venom."

"I don't particularly _want_ you to kill me. Only if there is no other choice." He scratched her eye ridge gently. "Thank you, my lovely one."

"I like you. I like your friends, too." She made a sound that he had never heard before her and had finally classified as a sort of serpentine purr. "Hates humans...not snakes?"

"Hates humans, I think because part of it knows it _was_ one. It sees other animals only as...possible prey. I don't know, I've never been around snakes while transformed before. I would probably try to eat you too."

"My scales are getting harder," she said thoughtfully. "I think I would be difficult to eat, if you couldn't swallow me whole."

"I don't want to test it!"

"Maybe you should take my last skin in with you, and see what happens," she suggested calmly. "It should still smell like me, so if it isn't torn afterward, that means either you didn't see it as food or you couldn't tear it."

He smiled faintly. "An excellent idea. I will try that." He scratched her eye ridges again. "And I should go see Helga before sunset."

"Can I come? I promise to keep my eyes closed."

"No, it's best for you to stay here. The students may react badly to seeing a basilisk. Or more likely, try to sneak down here to see you at all hours, and someone could be hurt accidentally."

She hissed amusedly. "I can feel footsteps and taste scents before you get here, you know. But very well, I will stay." She shrugged her coils around his shoulders and climbed down. "Don't worry."

Even serpents are telling me not to worry now, Salazar thought in vague amusement. "I will try. And I will see you soon. Be nice to Godric tonight."

"I'm always nice to Godric. He pets my eyeridges."

"I know. He's a very good friend, to us both." One more pat and he left the anteChamber, still heavy-hearted but hopeful.

Sharessa opened her eyes once he was done, killed a couple of unwisely-wandering rats, forced them down to fill the last possible gap in her stomach, and settled down to scratch herself meditatively against a stone. She hadn't known Father was a wolf sometimes. She hoped he couldn't tear her skin; and if he could, why, she'd just have to grow more so it would be tougher next time the moon came around.

Salazar lay face-down on the smooth stone, panting heavily and muscles quivering with exhaustion. Moonset. Finally. Merlin.

As he did every month, he tried to rise as he heard the faint sounds on the other side of thick stone that told him Godric had arrived and was recreating the opening. Somewhat to his surprise, this time he succeeded. Well, sort of. He managed to lever himself up into a sort of half-kneeling state, but even _that_ much was a considerable improvement from the usual. ("The usual" being, of course, muscles too ripped and strained to support the lightest of weight and entire body screaming at him for the slightest movement.)

But now...well, he _hurt_, and there was still too much blood all around him for comfort this close to the full moon, and the thought of walking would have made him laugh if it didn't hurt so blasted much. But...for him, for _now_, he felt amazing.

He only noticed when he attempted to raise a hand in greeting to Godric as he made it through the stone that he was clutching Sharessa's shed skin like a lifeline.

"Here we go...." Godric cast a practiced succession of levitation and warming spells and ones to clean up the blood and stop its flow, this time all backgrounded by a soft, fretful, wordless hissing. The snakeskin stayed in Salazar's hand as he rose; Godric regarded it, and him, thoughtfully. "You look... a little better," he said quietly. "Let's go."

"I...feel a little better," Salazar said weakly, adding in a soft hiss to Sharessa, "I'm all right, lovely one. Don't worry." He closed his eyes for a moment as Godric floated him out of the Chamber, but when he opened them again he had to blink several times. "...All right, I'm not better. I've never hallucccinated before..."

"Pardon?"

"...I'm sssssseeing a giant head."

"Oh. That's real." Godric gave him a mischievous grin. "I found a way to pass the time."

"...Making giant headssss?" Salazar blinked at it, trying to focus. "It looksss like a monkey!"

"Well, I haven't ever done one before...."

"Mossst people manage to go through life without ever making giant headsss, Godric."

"It was fun."

"You're ssstrange." Salazar shivered lightly. It always felt so much colder in here without his fur. Well, and the blood loss probably had something to do with it. "Let'sss jussst go. ...And bring Ssssharessssa?"

"Of course." Godric cast another gentle warming spell on a bubble of air and wrapped it around him. He turned toward Sharessa; she flicked her tongue and started toward the door.

This early, they reached the room Salazar and Helga shared without running into any students. Godric settled Salazar gently onto the bed, Sharessa slithering onto the bed and curling up on his pillow and hair. Helga blinked at him. "Godric, have you been healing him already? He looks better..."

"No. He looked better to begin with. But...." Godric lifted the end of the skin Salazar was still clutching. "He did take this in."

"Sssharesssa wanted to know if I could tear it sssso sssshe could come in next time," Salazar explained, then dutifully drank the potion Helga held to his lips and sighed softly as the blissfully numbing fingers spread through his body. "Maybe you were right, love."

"That she might be able to help? I pray so...." She kissed his forehead and glanced down at the skin. "_Is_ it torn?"

Godric examined it. "As far as I can tell, only where _she_ tore it to get it off, but I'm no expert."

"Then let me sssee," Salazar said dryly. Godric obligingly held the skin so Salazar could inspect it as Helga began her healing spells. "I think you're right. That isss a very durable ssskin..."

"I don't know whether you didn't worry it at all, or just couldn't -- though I do remember you trying to cut the one before this with a knife and swearing at it a lot."

Salazar chuckled weakly. "Yessss, I remember that too. But if thisss wass in the Chamber with me, I would have attacked it. I attack anything during that time." He looked down at his own bloody limbs sourly.

"Well, as far as I can tell, Sharessa's only getting tougher...."

"See, Father? I'm good. Maybe I can stay in with you next time."

"We'll see," he hissed at her quietly. "I don't want you getting hurt either."

"But see, you didn't hurt my skin. And it couldn't wrap around you and hold you still. I could, especially next moon, I grow fast!"

"I know you do, lovely. I'll think about it, I promise."

"Can I do anything _now_?"

"Just be here. I like having you around," he hissed tiredly, wincing slightly at some of Helga's treatments. They'd gotten the process of putting him back together each month down to a careful science, but that didn't mean the process of healing wasn't still sometimes painful. He hated seeing the sadness and pain in her eyes at his wounds, and resolved to try Sharessa's suggestion next month. 

"Is there anything serpents can do of healing? Can _I_ do spells? I'm magic. Should I put the skin over you?"

"Relax, Sharessa. Helga knows what she's doing. It's all right, I promise. We've been doing this for years now."

"I still want to help." She nuzzled his face; he felt his stomach jolt when her blunt nose went slightly between his lips, but it seemed even the wolf wasn't quite stupid enough to think of a basilisk as food. She smelled odd.

"I know you want to help, but basilisks have no healing abilities. I think you've done enough just with your skin."

"...Very well. I can stay, though, can't I? Now?"

Salazar's eyes fluttered shut. "Yesss... just don't get in Helga's way..."

"I won't. She's making you better, right?"

"Yes, she's making me better. She always does..." Salazar's voice drifted off as the exhaustion and potions combined to make him sleep. Sharessa nudged at his hair and hissed softly.

Helga wondered what the basilisk was saying, and it was rather odd trying to work around a large serpent -- but Salazar was in significantly better shape than usual, and if that was the effect even of taking the discarded skin in with him, she certainly wasn't going to argue.

She wondered how it worked, though, and was quite certain Rowena was trying to solve the question in her head this very minute.

When she'd suggested that perhaps having an animal in with him would be calming, she hadn't really expected it to work quite so...dramatically. Especially not from a mere skin! But then, Salazar took more comfort in snakes than most people. Just look at his reaction to the Caduceus charm. Perhaps that was part of it.

Godric brought her a cup of water when she'd done all the healing she could, and she sipped it gratefully. "Thank you. He's...he's really doing better..."

"I noticed that. He... had actually partly got up when I opened the stone. And he was holding onto the skin so tightly his knuckles were white." Sharessa was hissing with an odd sort of rhythm that made them wonder if she was singing. "I don't know if it calmed him, or just distracted him.... Though his mouth and hands seem to have been better than usual...."

"They were." Helga stroked one of the aforementioned hands lightly as she sipped her water. "Heaven knows it's about time _something_ made this easier for him! It's...I haven't wanted to say anything, but it's been getting worse every time..."

"I've been trying to find things -- I've tried enchanting the stone not to do harm, but then he just seems to tear himself worse." Godric lowered his eyes. "I think we've all been not wanting to say anything. And he _won't_." He shook his head. "I should have..."

"He never says _anything_ if he can help it. And he's been looking so..._old_ lately. It terrifies me. Especially as he said his family is usually so very long-lived anyway..." She brushed her hand against her cheek quickly, then said with forced brightness, "Well, maybe this will help."

"I hope so." Godric sighed. "Maybe I should have made the stone a net to bind him instead, all along..."

"He always said the Chamber was the best solution!" Helga protested a bit desperately. Her nerves were always worn to a thread at this time of month.

"I know," Godric replied quickly, then gave her a lopsided and not too obviously forced grin. "But it's my job to argue with him now and again, and I might have been neglecting it."

An almost sincere chuckle. "I don't think anyone could accuse the two of you of neglecting that."

"We'll see. If Sharessa can keep him from hurting himself... which looks promising if she keeps growing at anything close to _this_ rate, though if she does it for too long she'll be bigger than the castle in a few years..."

"Hopefully she'll slow down once she reaches maturity." Helga sighed and closed her eyes. "I just pray she can help. I -- I don't want to lose him." 

"No more do any of us." Godric reached across to squeeze her shoulder. "We'll do the best we can. You know that."

"I know, I know!" She dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her sleeve. "I'm sorry, I'm just overly emotional." And _that_ was something she'd have to discuss with Salazar soon....

"Helga, really, if anyone has the right to be, it's you. -- If there's anything else wrong, can I help?"

"No, it's nothing. It's just...I've never _heard_ of werewolves living very long, even in all I studied after meeting him. I know he was bitten quite some time before he came here and...with it getting worse lately...I just keep thinking...his time is running out. And I can't _stand_ it, Godric, I _can't_!"

"That's hardly 'nothing'." Godric came around the bed and hugged her a little gingerly until she relaxed and rested her face against his shoulder. "I... really don't know. I'd hate to think we might be making it worse overall -- but even though I know being closed in and near people makes the transformations worse overall, I can't think that being away for the rest of the month wouldn't balance that.... And I believe him, that even this is better for his peace of mind. And better... to be cared for." He set her away a little and tilted her chin up. "And you do that very well indeed, in all senses."

She sniffled a little into his shoulder. "I know. I _know_ that it's better for a true Healer to see to him instead of whatever he was managing before, but...I'm used to _fixing_ things, Godric."

"I know. And you can't entirely fix what you'd most like to." He sighed. "But you can make it better, and that's... better. I'm sorry, my eloquence is rather lacking."

"It's sincerely-meant, and that's all that matters. It just seems to be hitting me more now." She hugged him back tightly. "Thank you."

He smiled wryly down at her and gestured at the basilisk. "I try. Do you think she's saying the sort of thing he usually hears from Caduceus?"

Helga laughed softly as she wiped her eyes. "I have no idea. I suppose I'll have to ask him to do a comparison later."

"You do that. Seems the sort of thing he'd probably like explaining..."

"I will." Helga leaned up and brushed a bit of hair out of Godric's eyes. "Go to bed, Godric. You look exhausted. What were _you_ doing all night?"

"Sculpting, mostly. Salazar says my statue looks like a monkey."

She blinked, the brought up her hand in a futile attempt to restrain a peal of giggles. "Whatever possessed you to start sculpting a statue?"

"It seemed," he told her with a grave dignity that someone who didn't know him might have mistaken for genuine pompousness, "like a good idea at the time."

She giggled again. "Oh Godric." She gave him a fond kiss on the cheek. "Next time try serpents instead of monkeys, perhaps?"

"I've _been_ making serpents," he protested. 

"And he always liked them, didn't he?" she countered logically. "But serpents or monkeys, it _did_ tire you out. It's a Sunday; take advantage and go to sleep." She smiled mischievously. "Or just to bed. Rowena was missing you last night."

"Well, that was nice of her. All right, I'm going." 

"Sleep well," Helga called out softly as Godric left. Her eyes lingered for a moment at the sword hanging at his hip. She dreaded the day he might actually have to _use_ it...But with Sharessa's addition, that was seeming far less likely.

Then she turned back to her own bed and the two occupants currently in it. "You," she informed the basilisk sternly, "are going to have to make room." 

Sharessa flicked her tongue at Helga as the witch climbed into bed beside her husband, but did at least shift her coils aside so Helga could cuddle up against Salazar's chest. Helga closed her eyes and listened to the slow, even breaths, with the continued hissed purring/singing providing an odd but soothing counterpoint. "Be well, my husband. Just be well."

Salazar turned a little toward her and tried to hold her in his sleep -- his own instincts for the moment, not the wolf's, and with more strength than usual. Sharessa nuzzled thoughtfully along each of them as Helga drifted toward sleep herself (though being examined by a giant serpent did slow her down a bit). 

When she was quite sure that there was no one else in the room and that Father and Mother were sound asleep with their eyes closed, Sharessa lifted her eyelids just a bit for a peek at them, not looking too directly at their faces...just in case. Then she shut her eyes and stretched out along the bed, still hissing softly.

There was little reason for her to know a lullaby, but she did.

Salazar drifted back into consciousness with the drowsy but certain feeling that someone was watching him. As he vaguely recalled Sharessa accompanying them _out_ of the Chamber, he hissed softly first and waited for Helga's amused, "Good morning to you too," before he opened his own eyes. 

"Hullo, love," he replied around a yawn, then leaned over to kiss her lightly on the forehead. "Did everything go all right last night?" He stood shakily and walked with her help to the chamberpot, then took the goblet she handed him to wash the sickly sweet taste of blood out of his mouth.

"It seems to have. You were...less hurt than you often have been, lately."

He looked at her in surprise. "Really? I thought I wass imagining that." He sat back down on the bed and scratched Sharessa's scales lightly. "I felt...calmer, all night. It wass very sstrange."

Helga nodded. "I thought at first that Godric had started in on the healing rather more than... well, the usual blood-staunching."

"...Well. That'ss...sstrange, but encouraging."

"It seems the snakeskin did you some good."

"And if memory sservess, I couldn't even tear it. I may be able to let Ssharesssa in next time after all."

"I somehow think she would like that." Helga kissed his cheek. "And _I_ like nearly any means to soothe the night. Yes, as far as any of us can tell, the only tears in the skin are from her getting out of it." She paused, then added with a slight grin, "And that _does_ include you, though knowing you I'm sure you'll want to look again now that you're a little clearer-headed."

"Yessss," he agreed, lying back down against his pillows. "Although now I jusst want to stay here with my lovely wife. Until my head sstopss sspinning, at leassst."

"_I'm_ certainly not going to object." Helga curled up beside him and smiled. "I prescribe rest," she told him with a wink.

"Ressst," he agreed, leaning his head against hers. "...For a while, at leassst." He kissed her lightly.

"For a while." She reached up and riffled her fingers through his hair. "If you feel up to it, there's soup ready."

"Mmm. Sssoon. I jussst want to hold you...."

"I certainly shan't complain.... The soup, however, would probably have more restorative effect."

He sighed regretfully. "Probably. Very well."

"Well... I won't be far." Helga reached for her wand and summoned tray and soup, then rearranged the pillows, without ever actually moving from his side. "Is this acceptable?"

"Hsss. Very." Salazar began eating the soup slowly, his hand shaking only slightly. "Mmm. Exccellent."

"This way," Helga said contentedly, "you can do both. Well, at least I can hold you. Let me know if you need this arm for anything."

"No, that arm iss very happy where it iss," he laughed softly. "My love."

"Ah, good. I'm very happy where it is too."

Salazar smiled and kissed her lightly before returning to the soup. Helga smiled at him and tried to think of how to broach her next topic. "Salazar...my love..." She swallowed hard, then lost her courage. "Never mind. Finish eating."

He looked at her curiously. "If you need my undivided attention, the ssoup can wait a bit...."

"No, no, finish eating. You need your strength."

"If it'ss ssomething that worriess you...." He took another spoonful and gave her a concerned look.

"No, nothing's worrying me." She summoned a bright smile for him. "Except you not getting enough to eat."

"You ssounded very sseriouss before you ssaid 'never mind'," he grumbled. "Very well. I will finisssh, and then you can finissh your sentencce." He smiled back and kissed her again, carefully. "Not that 'Ssalazar, my love' is at all unpleassant on itss own, in your voicce."

She smiled, with just a hint of uncertainty, and murmured, "Salazar, my love," again as she stroked his arm.

Salazar murmured "my love" back to her and applied himself determinedly to his soup (not that this was very hard; he _was_ quite hungry). When the bowl was empty, she pressed another serving on him, and he ate that too, and then managed to set the tray aside and turn to her. "I am fed," he told her seriously, though with a warm smile, "and will not 'never mind' any further."

"No, you won't. I -- It's good news, truly, love. You don't need to look so apprehensive." She kissed the tip of his nose lightly, but her eyes were worried as she took his hands and said softly, "We're to have a child."

"_Oh_." The word came out in a sort of reverse gasp as his own eyes widened. " --Is it well?"

"It's too soon to tell much, but it seems very healthy." She placed their joined hands over her stomach. "I know you weren't sure about...this, and I didn't plan it, but I -- I hope you're happy about it."

He closed his eyes and breathed her scent in for a moment, quelling the wolf that let him smell her more keenly in favor of the man who adored the way she did smell. "I -- I am happy. The idea -- I never thought -- I'm alsso terrified that I'll have passsed the curssse on ssomehow, but if it's well, if _you'll_ be well...."

"I will be well. Our child will be well. I _don't_ know if lycanthropy is -- passed on, that way, but..." She tried a weak smile. "At the least, I discovered he isn't transforming in the womb last night."

Salazar gave a strangled hiss and collapsed into the pillows at that. "...Isss he far enough along that you can be ssssure he could, and you'd feel it? If he doesss later, late enough for clawsss and teeth...." He looked rather pale.

She curled up beside him, her face buried in his collarbone. "Nothing is certain, my love. And...it's done now, whatever the consequences may be. I _want_ to have your child, even though there may be risks."

"I want -- I -- the idea isss -- wonderful -- but I ssshould not like to losssse you, my dearesssst."

"I don't particularly want to be lost," she retorted tartly, looking up and kissing him again. "I can't think that God would bless us so only to take it away. We _will_ be careful, but..."

"We will. Of courssse." He wrapped her in his arms and clung. "Beloved. Ever and alwaysssssssssss...."

She clung back just as tightly, relieved he was taking this so well. She'd been terrified of how he'd react to the news. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she kissed him firmly. "I'm sorry, I'm always emotional now. We _will_ be fine. All three of us." She laid her head on his shoulder. "Now you just need to start thinking about whether you will have a son or a daughter."

"I don't know how to guessss," he protested. "For all the assssoccciationsss of ssserpentsss and prophecccy, I don't ssseem to have the ssssight...." He touched her face and added softly, "What did I sssay for you to cry?"

"Nothing! I was just glad you were happy about it. We'd only discussed it the once, and you seemed so uncertain then..."

"I... well. I hadn't thought.... You know that I can't passs on... name or essstate from my family. Sssslytherin I took from the Parssseltongue. And worssse, I fear hurting you... but if it'sss happened, I will pray your ssssafety, and ssspell it if I can... and be grateful."

"I don't ask for you to pass on anything but yourself," she told him softly but fervently. "I've seen you with the students. And with Sharessa, for that matter," she added with a laugh. "You'll be a wonderful father. No child could ask for more."

Salazar buried his face and hands in her hair and gave a tiny chuckle of his own. "And if thisss one iss a Parssselmouth, he can call her elder sssissster, maybe."

She giggled against his skin. "I never dreamed as a child that my own children would one day call a basilisk sister."

"Well," Salazar said reasonably, "it can't be sssomething that comesss up very often."

"True enough." She raised her head to kiss him again. "I just hope, son or daughter, our child has your eyes, my love."

"...My eyessss?" He sounded a bit surprised. "I quite like yoursss...."

"Mmm, yours. They're so expressive." She raised her hand to touch the side of his face. "I feel as if they're looking into my soul."

"Yoursss ssshine...." He tilted his head into her hand. "You're ssstill sssuch a wonder."

"No less than you, my love. I'm so glad we found each other."

"I'm not a wonder," he protested, laughing slightly. "Jussst a ssstray. Only not anymore."

"If I say you're a wonder, you're a wonder," she retorted firmly, eyes narrowed. "Don't argue. You're so kind and loving, so good with the students and teaching. One of the dearest friends I could have ever imagined." She kissed him lightly. "And my love."

"I'll not argue then." He made her shut her eyes, by kissing the eyelids, and settled them cozily together.

Helga laughed quietly. "Good, you're learning." She stroked his hair gently. "I love you so much, my husband."

"I'm ssstill amazed sssometimesss," he whispered to her, "that you are sssso willing to touch me, and alwaysss have been.... You don't know, how grateful I wasss...."

"I quite enjoy touching you," she told him solemnly. "And I don't see any reason _not_ to, bar propriety in front of the students occasionally, of course."

"Sssss. I'm very glad." He stroked the side of her foot with his. "At firsst... it had been ssso very long sssince anyone had...."

"I could tell it had been, even if I didn't know _how_ long. But that was just _foolishness_."

"It wasss fear. And not wholly unjussstified."

"Fear and foolishness are more interrelated than most people are willing to admit. And there is no more harm in touching you than any _other_ wizard when the moon isn't full!"

"Lesss than sssome," he offered, eyes glinting a little amusement though they were still warm and soft with emotion.

"And _I_ like touching you," she said again stoutly, kissing him soundly. "It's lucky for me that no one else saw the man you are behind their fear."

"I... very much like it too." He wound his fingers in her hair and pressed his forehead gently against hers. "I could never have found a ssssweeter love than you."

"Then we're fortunate we found each other," she said softly. "And our child is very fortunate too."


	10. Stone Walls for a Reason

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is intended or expected._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and PersephoneKore  
Chapter 10: Stone Walls for a Reason**

Salazar eyed the clear sky sourly. It had every making of a beautiful night. Not a cloud marred the sky that was just shading into the dark blue of the evening as the sun disappeared from the horizon. A few stars were starting to make their appearance, though moonrise was still a few hours off. Long ago, he would have taken advantage of such a night to walk under the bright full moon with his lovely wife at his side.

...But that was another lifetime.

This night he would spend locked in living stone, a basilisk as his only companion. His lovely wife would be preparing herself for a morning of healing, putting back together what he'd spent the night ripping apart. But...it could be worse. He kept telling himself that, but lately he just felt like...howling his frustration at the moon even when he was still in human form.

This evening, it seemed to be even harder to make himself listen. He could tell himself all he liked that he ought to be grateful, that he _was_ grateful, to have a wife at all, to have friends -- friends, for a werewolf! -- with both the desire and the power to keep him with them safely and care for him after. He even taught _children_, who would have had no chance of fighting him off on their own. He had a little son of his own, who was not cursed.

He could tell himself.... Salazar frowned out at the too-deep shadows of the wood. It would hurt less if he were out there and could run and hunt...or perhaps not, since Sharessa had been keeping him calmer. He could hurt someone else that way, and he could wake up chilled and torn and aching, agonized with hunger or, worse, with blood he couldn't identify in his mouth and raw meat in his belly.

He could tell himself.... He couldn't quite remember, and the shadows looked darker than they ought.

Then the stone lurched under his feet. Salazar staggered, trying to keep his balance, and Rowena's voice suddenly cried from nowhere and all around, "'Ware! Ware Dementors, and all move inward for safeguarding!"

Salazar hissed a furious Parseltongue curse -- fortunate Sarah wasn't there to hear him -- and whirled around, robes swirling around his legs as he hurried inside to find his fellow teachers. He'd _known_ something was wrong out there! "Rowena. How close are they?"

"None inside, but someone interfered with my charms." Rowena's eyes were flashing when he found her; her hair was down, her feet bare, and she looked on the verge of performing some accidental magic out of sheer fury, probably involving a small lightning storm. The air wavered and crackled around her, then settled as she brought herself under control with a visible effort of will. "Too close. A furlong now and getting closer."

"I'll make ssure the children are all away securely before Godric sseals them in. You and Helga are better at disstance magic than I am. I'll join you in a few moments."

"Good. We'll go try to keep them back from the walls."

"We'll be right there." Salazar nodded sharply at her and hurried off to the Great Hall, where the students were all supposed to be gathering at the warning. It was easier to seal them all into one space than the separate dormitories. On the way, Salazar ran into Helga and deftly scooped their young son out of her arms. "I'll see him settled, love. You meet with Rowena."

Helga grabbed his shoulder and kissed him hard, heedless of who might be watching or the effect on him of the faint taste of blood where she'd bitten her lip. Salazar licked his own unconsciously and nervously as he stepped back; his wife looked up at him, eyes bright and jaw set. "You'll be my thought for my Patronus," she said softly, and then let him go and hurried away.

Salazar let out a shaky breath and looked down at the trusting bundle in his arms. At this time of the month, unfortunately he was not about to be considered the best father out there. But he loved William very much, and vowed to protect him against the coming threat. He hurried into the Great Hall, a hive of (mostly) organized activity.

"Sstudent leaderss!" he called out in a calm but carrying voice. "Come to me with your House counts immediately."

Eight students, picked from the eldest and most responsible students in each house, began making their way toward him at once. He was pleased that all of Slytherin was there already; Hufflepuff was as well, and then there was one missing Ravenclaw who turned out to have been among Godric's students, which meant that there was a missing Gryffindor -- or rather two, because Sarah had cast a finding charm and dashed off in search.

Salazar hissed irritably at the delay, but sent the student leaders back to their Houses, giving William into the care of one of the Slytherins. When he saw Godric come in the doorway, he quickly joined his friend. "We're waiting on two of yours, then you can sseal it."

"Two? _Which_ two?"

"Ssarah went to find Bedwyr. I hope she'll be quick."

"She'd better be," Godric muttered. "In all senses."

Sarah was indeed quick, in all senses; she dashed back into the room white-faced and miserable but with Bedwyr, small for his age and sobbing, clutched by the arm. She tried to speak to them but choked on the words. "Quiet," Godric ordered her, more gently than he might have. "Is that everyone, then? -- Good." There was a brief grinding sound before the stone's motion eased and flowed, sealing all but one opening. "Salazar, let's go."

Salazar nodded and followed. The students knew what to do -- they'd been tested, but in less trying circumstances -- and the opening was sealing behind them. "Rowena said Dementors, less than a furlong away by now. They're setting defenses now."

"I heard her too. Not the distance, but I can feel them on the ground." Godric grimaced. "They don't quite touch it all the way. At least they can't get through the stone."

"No, but the effects can. We need to drive them off as quickly as possible if we don't want a sschool full of nightmares tonight."

"Believe me, I know." A quick glance. "Are you all right for now?"

"As fine as anyone with Dementorss on the way," Salazar snapped.

"Well, _that's_ not saying much, but it'll have to do," Godric quipped back, then went on, "They'll probably try to surround the school."

"It'll be tough finding ssomething for a Patronuss thiss closse to the full moon," Salazar muttered as they hurried through the corridors to meet their wives. He frowned suddenly. "Do you think a bassilisk's gaze works on Dementors? As a lasst ressort."

"I don't know; I don't think they have eyes." A sudden fierce grin. "But how much does the thought of it working cheer you up?"

The bloodthirsty grin came a little TOO easily this time of month. "Conssssiderably."

Godric clapped him on the back, then looked up to see Helga and Rowena descending one of the staircases toward them. "How is it? And should I stone-seal the hidden entrances, or are the charms enough?"

"Well, the one's too far off to matter." Rowena frowned, coming hastily to his side as if seeking the warmth. "I'd usually call the charms enough, but I didn't have as much warning as I should have liked. They're not after those now, though; they made a circle around the school and when they couldn't find windows or arrow-slits open to them, went to the door. Let's go."

Salazar wrapped his arm firmly around Helga as they followed the other couple out. "I don't know of any way to drive off Dementors but a Patronuss. I don't ssuppose one of you doess?"

"If I did," Rowena tossed grimly over her shoulder, "believe me I would tell you. But the best I have so far is to push them away with wind, and it doesn't work very _well_."

"I can try sealing them up in stone," Godric added, "but we'd still have to deal with the effects until they suffocated, and I'm not sure they DO breathe."

"There has to be some way of destroying them. Do you think you could seal them in stone and then _crush_ them?" Salazar rather thought Helga regarded Dementors as a sort of roaming injury, which come to think of it sounded about right.

"Never done it before, but that's not to say it won't work. I'm not sure if I'd have energy for that and a Patronus at once, though."

Helga glanced up at her husband. "Try it while we still have Salazar here, then."

"Sssstill?" Salazar interrupted. "As if I'd abandon you in the middle of a battle!"

Helga stopped; Salazar turned to look at her and found her grave. "I hope it will be over before moonrise," she said, very quietly. "But best to make experiments at the beginning."

Salazar's jaw clenched. "Ssso I'm to be sssshuffled off to hide like the children?"

Helga stared at him. "Hide? What do you think the alternative is -- that we pitch you down over the wall to see what happens if you bite a Dementor?"

"At leassst it would be DOING sssomething!"

"Salazar --" Helga shut her eyes. "I can't argue with you right now. I _can't_. And I don't think I would be able to produce a Patronus at all if you were --" She swallowed. "We still have a few hours until moonrise. Let's try to drive them off before then."

He hissed virulently and pulled away from her as he continued stalking after Godric and Rowena. "We'll drive them off. I'm not about to be sssssent away like sssome ussssselesssss infirm while the ressst of you defend me."

"I never suggested you were useless," Helga snapped back. "I've fought you in that form, remember? I'd prefer not to have to do it again!"

"What are you two quarreling about?" Rowena demanded, turning. "Are you both _mad_?"

"I'm not _quarreling_," Salazar snarled, more growl than hiss in his voice now. "And I'm not mad, nor _ussssssselesss_," he added on a glare to Helga.

Rowena glared at him. "I'm quite sure Helga didn't say you were useless. She said that if Godric is going to try offensive tactics that will keep him from producing a Patronus, we need you supplying one. And she's quite right, so would you both come _on_?"

He met the glare with a fierce one of his own. "I AM coming! Ssstop acting like sssuch a busssybody! I can't make a bloody Patronusss if _you're_ irritating me and _sshe'ss_ trying to pack me off before I can do anything!"

"I never suggested anything of the sort!" Helga stopped and bit her lip hard; Salazar tried not to look when she broke the skin open again. "Salazar?"

"_What_?"

"...I love you." She sped up and past him, then stopped at the wall with her wand raised.

Salazar stopped and closed his eyes, wrestling for a moment with himself. He was calm, he was in control. He was _Salazar Slytherin_, a Founder of Hogwarts, husband to the beautiful and fierce Helga Hufflepuff, and father of the most perfect little boy that ever existed. He wasn't a slave to his anger! He slowly let out a long breath, then snapped open his eyes and pulled out his wand. His eyes trained firmly on Helga, he shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"

Helga's spell followed as soon as his -- bright silver serpents intertwined as if by the caduceus spell, and never mind that they could never crawl that way, for they flew -- passed where she could see it. Rowena produced an enormous eagle riding a mighty wind that ripped at the Dementors' rags, then a careening flock of birds of prey that swooped and screeched and tore.

_"Expecto Patronum!_ -- Drive them together!" Godric cried, and when many of the Dementors had converged into a sickening black blot, his Patronus wavered and faded as the earth fled from under the crowd and climbed up to close over them.

The dark miasma of pain and fear surrounding them seemed to lighten a little, and Salazar took heart. "It'ss working, Godric! Keep at it." He directed his shining Patronus to herd more Dementors together like some sort of serpentine sheepdog.

Godric was pale, leaning on the wall. "It's -- hard, touching them like that. Bad enough from a distance, but..."

"Can you do it again?" Rowena asked simply.

"Yes. At least once more, but...I'm not sure about more than that."

She took his hand and, being Rowena, did not trust solely to that as a show of support but cast Ennervate and a Cheering Charm with cool efficiency. "Then let's try to get as many in that once more as we can."

Helga didn't say anything, but simply thinned her lips as her silver badger ran headlong into a cluster of Dementors, herding them towards Salazar's group. "The problem is...I don't think this is just Dementors...It feels like there's something else out there."

"Do you have any idea what?" Godric asked, lifting his wand as if intending to cast another Patronus; Rowena pulled his arm down with a stern save-your-strength look.

"If I knew, I'd be working on it, believe me!"

"Sorry. I was trying to think what you'd most likely sense before we did...."

"I don't know. I'm just getting a vague sense of..._something_. I don't _know_!" She sighed. "I don't think this is going to be over by moonrise."

Rowena cast a worried look at Salazar. "Well, I think we've enough Dementors together to try again. Godric?"

Godric nodded, not bothering with words as he gestured to the earth. The roiling mass of black figures vanished into the ground, and the four Founders could suddenly take a deep breath again. Godric leaned against the wall heavily. "Don't -- think I can do that again."

"Can you form a Patronus? Or had you better rest?" Rowena sent her eagles out again, directing them with half her attention as she looked worriedly down at Godric.

Godric leaned over and kissed her quickly, then grinned. "I can now. Expecto Patronum!" His silver griffin shot out of his wand and charged off to join the others in battle.

The four managed to keep up enough joy in one another that the Dementors stayed a respectable difference from the walls -- but they were all four very tired, and Helga's vision was swimming by the time she noticed Salazar's face fixed in a snarl that didn't seem quite entirely due to the Dementors, and his hair growing longer.

She looked east and -- couldn't see a hint of light from the moon, because with Dementors near it felt too dark, but she _knew_. "Salazar," she whispered, then cleared her throat. "Salazar, Godric, we'll hold them while you go in --"

Salazar snarled, only holding in a howl by sheer force of will. "NO! I'm not going anywhere when you're under attack!"

"Blast it, Salazar, do you want to make this even harder?" Godric grabbed Salazar's shoulder, but pulled back quickly when Salazar actually snapped at him.

Reason reappeared briefly in Salazar's eyes, coupled with horror. "I -- Godric, I'm....I have to go." He turned and ran flat-out through the corridors towards the safety of the Chamber, Godric jogging after him.

"Salazar, other way --" The words didn't register at first; when they did, Salazar wheeled and nearly crashed into Godric as he got back to the turn. "Sorry." Godric sounded entirely too calm when Salazar could feel the moon coming up.... "I had to rearrange this part a bit."

"And you chosssse NOW to tell me? Godric, the moon..." Salazar closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. "There isssn't much _time_, Godric."

"I know. This way." Godric didn't grab him this time, only pointed ahead along the corridor. The route did begin to look familiar again; Salazar itched to dash ahead but feared he might run afoul of another change. "It's the same the rest of the way," Godric told him after about the thirteenth anxious glance.

Of course, Godric had to be able to shut him in.

And that was the other problem. Salazar swallowed a growl. Part of him was frantic to get to the chamber, frantic enough that he nearly fell down the stairs. Part of him wanted nothing more than to go anywhere else -- strike Godric down and go hunting.

He shouldn't even be THINKING about hunting with another person in the room, much less his best friend! Salazar let out a frustrated hiss that was nearly a moan. He'd put this off for too long. Would Godric pay the price for it?

It was with a surge of relief unlike any he'd felt when they reached the serpent-carved door that led to the Chamber and hissed it open. Sharessa slithered up to him worriedly. "Father? You're so upset! Are you all right?"

"Better now that you're here, my beauty," he hissed to her, feeling calmer in her presence. "But we have to get inssside quickly."

The basilisk moved aside and then followed so closely on his heels that he nearly trod on her as he stumbled into the innermost chamber. Godric stopped between the serpent doors; Salazar fell to the floor as the transformation began and looked up with mingled relief and rage to see the stone melting shut. He staggered to his feet and hurled himself toward the thinnest point, stumbled over Sharessa, and went down in a heap with her chiding hissing in his ears.

Godric watched through the closing stone as all reason left Salazar's eyes and his body became that of the wolf. It was harder than usual to turn and leave his friend, though he knew Sharessa would be a better companion for Salazar now. Godric shook his head and forced himself to leave, lengthening his strides to return to his fellow defenders. "He's safe. What's the word?"

Rowena turned toward him, eyes bleak. "We know what Helga was sensing. They brought werewolves."

Godric cursed loudly and fluently, kicking the stone beneath his feet in frustration. "Blast it, weren't Dementors enough?"

"Apparently not." Helga closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "At least...if whoever it is has some sort of control over them, it's just as well Salazar is safe."

"Maybe that's why he was so out of sorts." Godric stared down at the black blots and the swifter, raging gray and brown shapes. "Well, a Patronus won't help with them, but we know they won't break stone."

"And at least _those_ we only have to hold off until the moon sets. But honestly, what's next? Vampires?" Helga sighed. "Godric, do you think there's some way you could just...hem in the werewolves? We can't _kill_ them. They could be as innocent as Salazar was!"

"Considering they aren't likely to go anywhere unless someone else happens by -- in which case they're in as much trouble from the Dementors -- I think it's easier to hem them _out_." Stone was one thing. They'd dig through earth if he gave them the chance.

"That'll have to do. But that still leaves the Dementors. Our Patronuses are keeping them _back_, but that's it. We'll have to think of _some_ way to actually destroy them." Helga frowned in thought. "Do you think fire would have any effect on them?"

"Worth a try." Godric cast a fire spell down onto one of the black clots; it dimmed almost to nothing at once.

Rowena was frowning down at the remains of the fire. "But Dementors suck away light and warmth. Perhaps they feed on that as much as emotions. If we make it very _cold_ around them, in addition to the Patronuses...it might work."

"_They_ make it cold around them," Godric said, thrown.

"But they also make people miserable around them, and yet it's the good memories they feed on, even if too much of it will drive them off. Like blowing too hard on a new flame." Rowena's eagles still flew, but her next spell frosted the air as it passed.

It didn't seem to have an effect at first, but Helga directed her badger towards the freezing Dementor and harried it while Rowena's spell took full effect. After a few moment, then black dot of the Dementor simply stopped moving. "Is it frozen in place or dead?" Helga asked warily.

"Either way is better for us!"

"True enough, but I'd like to know whether it's going to start moving again."

"We'll see." Rowena was in her element now; icy winds swooped down onto the battlefield with the eagles. The werewolves seemed little happier than the Dementors about the chill -- Godric heard one of them whine, and the sound made his hair rise worse than the growls.

But the cold seemed to be having an effect. Most of the dots were barely moving now, Dementor and werewolf alike. Helga sent her Patronus circling the black dots, reporting back, "I'm not feeling any effect at all now. I think it worked!"

"Excellent." Rowena was scowling, though. "There has to have been someone directing this, surely? I've neve heard of such behavior....."

"Dementors and werewolves attacking together in force?" Godric asked, then snorted. "Not likely."

"Particularly as the werewolves would have been suffering from the Dementors themselves, at least until the moon rose." Helga frowned. "In which case they truly don't seem likely to have come of their own volition...."

"We'll be able to sort that out after moonset. First we need to find out who's _behind_ it." Godric's brow furrowed in deep concentration. "I can't sense anything, but the Dementors have been throwing me off."

Helga eyed them thoughtfully. "Do you think it would help to crush the frozen ones?"

"It can't _hurt_, and it'll probably be a sight easier doing it to inactive ones as well." Godric nodded sharply. "All right, I don't think it'll matter now, but I'm dropping my Patronus." He did, then closed his eyes and reached out the earth.

It was a peculiar sensation crushing these: he had the distinct feeling that they powdered. This wasn't going to be good for the soil, he thought. Perhaps he'd better find a way to extract their remains. Only then what would he do with them? ...He supposed they might make an interesting weapon. They'd have to test those.

The moon sank slowly.

"Whoever's behind all this still hasn't revealed himself," Rowena said in frustration, sending her winds -- less icy and more razor-tipped -- through the decimated lines, whipping along the back in search of the mastermind.

"We might have to track him down later." Godric gazed out after them, the beginnings of the wind chill on the back of his neck. "If he has any sense at all, which I admit is doubtful, having you freeze his army might have sent him running."

"With any luck, yes." Helga frowned at the remaining dots of the invaders. "Which means we'll be able to go help those poor werewolves once the moon sets."

"If they haven't frozen to death. Perhaps we should restrain them some other way and let them thaw out a bit?" Godric glanced at Rowena, who let the winds die down -- barely. "I know they'd hate silver, and I'm not sure we could maintain conjured nets for all of them anyway. Maybe I can get the earth to hold well enough.... We _could_ let them throw themselves against the walls, I suppose, but I'd rather not."

"I've quite a few ideas." He wasn't surprised that Helga had given the matter even more thought than he or Rowena had. "I just haven't had a chance to try them before. Stunning spells, sleep spells, soothing charms -- I don't know whether they'll work at all, but this might be the best time to try."

"We'll trust your expertise on that, then. Do you need to be closer, or can you do it from here?"

"I was thinking I'd at least try from here."

"All right. Do you need us to do anything?"

"Well, you could try the spells as well. I know you Stun well enough, at the least. Rowena, can you let them warm up once I've tried?"

"Yes, but slowly, so we can make sure it's working." Rowena took a moment to compose herself, then nodded. "All right. Let's get started."

Soothing charms seemed to have no effect. Stunning spells were merely shaken off once the werewolves warmed up. Combining two very strong sleep spells, however, proved to drop them steadily to the ground once Rowena stopped blowing human-scent toward them, and they stayed curled up as the ground and air slowly warmed -- though no one really wanted to test whether it would hold if they got close.

Whether the mysterious person behind the attack fled when his army was first frozen, when the werewolves were neutralized, or some other time in the night was immaterial. By the time dawn's first light revealed the sleeping werewolves and remains of the Dementor army, there was no sign of anyone else. The moon was setting as well, and before their eyes the furry bodies were turning into smaller human forms.

"I'll secure enough space to put them," Godric said quietly, reaching out to move the stone of the castle. Make a place for them, but keep it separate, in case they _had_ come willingly. Most of the people below them were still curled in awkward positions from where they'd fallen as wolves. Most were probably badly chilled.

One or two were children.

Helga was shivering a little herself. "We have to get Salazar."

"Right." Godric was drooping a little in exhaustion, but he shook himself and said, "I'll go let him out of the Chamber. These people...they're going to need some healing. Will you be able to handle everything?"

"I'll have to. I think... some of the students might be able to help, if they would. Perhaps not... well, Sarah could."

Sarah and Meghan were the only students to know about Salazar's condition, and Sarah the only one with healing skills. Godric frowned. "Should I take her with me, then?"

"Send her to help bring them inside and begin, I think. I'll tend Salazar myself."

"You get her and give her instructions, I'll go get Salazar and bring him up as usual." He stepped forward and gave her a quick, fierce hug, then kissed her on the forehead and walked quickly off towards the Chamber.

"Good. Thank you."

Godric made a quick stop in front of the Great Hall to release the students to help Helga and Rowena, then hurried down into the bowels of the castle before any of them could stop him for questioning. He navigated the corridors automatically, his mind busy with everything they had ahead of them. When he reached the anteChamber and started melting back the stone, he called out, "The battle's over, and no casualties. On our side, at least, though Helga's going to be busy for a while."

There was no answer. Godric frowned and melted the stone back faster. Salazar was always at least conscious enough to speak after transformations, especially since Sharessa started joining him, and he'd thought Salazar would be eager to hear news. Sharessa lifted her head, tongue flicking toward him, and hissed anxiously. Godric saw that she had Salazar's head cushioned against her and had curled most of her length around his body. Salazar was lying entirely too still, and he looked worse than Godric had seen him in months.

Godric cursed fluently but softly, stepping inside the Chamber as soon as the opening was big enough. He knelt at Salazar's side and felt at his neck. There was a heartbeat, though lighter and more erratic than Godric would have preferred. "Sal? Come on, time to wake up."

Salazar stirred just a little at his voice at close range, but turned his head away.

"Salazar," Godric repeated. He didn't want to use a spell to wake him; it might be a strain under the circumstances. He cast a light warming charm instead.

Perversely, Salazar shivered at the spell, but his eyes opened a bare slit and his quiet hiss was answered by Sharessa.

"Everyone else of ours is all right," Godric repeated. "I thought you'd want to know. Now... let's get you to Helga."

Salazar hissed again tiredly, his eyes closing as Godric cast Mobilicorpus to float him up and out of the Chamber. Godric put a hand lightly on Salazar's forehead as they walked through the hallway, trying to hide his worry. This was worse than usual...and things had gotten so much _better_ after Sharessa started joining him! He hoped the Dementors or whatever had been controlling those werewolves hadn't affected him too badly...

Helga was already in the bedroom she and Salazar shared, setting out an array of potion bottles, when the two wizards arrived. Godric directed Salazar's limp form onto the bed, being as gentle as possible. "Oh no." Helga set down the last of the bottles and then caught one of them and her wand up again, coming quickly to Salazar's side.

"I know." They shared a look of dismay. "I already cast a warming charm on him," Godric added. "That's all, though."

She nodded and touched Salazar's cheek gently with her wand hand. "Salazar? Can you drink this?"

An incoherent hiss was his only reply, but his mouth opened when she put the potion bottle to his lips. She poured it into his mouth very slowly; a wincing around his eyes suggested that it hurt to swallow, and thinking how much work Helga would be doing with all their captured (or rescued) werewolves too, Godric cast a very careful charm against the pain as well. The potions would take care of most of it, but before they took effect....

Helga emptied the small bottle and exchanged it for a purple flask. A very little of Salazar's color had come back by the time he swallowed the last of that one's contents. It was enough improvement for him to open his eyes, at least, though only halfway. Quietly, he murmured, "Helga..."

"I'm here, love," she told him softly, kissing him lightly.

His eyes closed again for a moment. "Everyone...?"

"Everyone's fine, on our side at least. We're just cleaning things up now."

"Well, Dementorsss... hardly count."

"No Dementors left," Godric spoke up with fierce glee. "But the werewolves are taking more effort."

"...What?"

"There were werewolves behind the Dementors," Godric explained as Helga cast another healing spell. "They came out after the moon rose. We held them until it set, and have them in a makeshift infirmary. Sarah's leading up the efforts down there for now, I understand."

"And she's doing a very good job," Helga added. "I saw to that before I came back here. Do you think you can take some soup now?"

Salazar hissed in alarm. "You have werewolvessss in the ssssschool?"

Godric raised an eyebrow sardonically. "We have for quite some time now."

"Not -- that issssn't -- they came here to ATTACK!"

"A point," Godric conceded. Helga left off after her next healing spell left Salazar pale and shaking, and brought the soup over. "Still," Godric went on, "they're certainly in no state to do so _now_, and think about it -- if they were behind or among the Dementors before the moon rose, and they must have been, they would have felt the full effects. We're fairly sure someone must have instigated this -- Dementors don't behave that way normally, and it seems at least as likely the werewolves were compelled as not, at least to me."

Salazar sighed. "That doessn't mean you can trussst them. But...I think I know who insstigated it. That or I'm finally going mad," he finished in a mutter.

Helga gave him a frown and a spoonful of soup. "You aren't. But what do you mean?"

"I...heard ssssomething. I remember a little of it before the moon rosse, but it wass clearesst after..."

"You didn't say anything before," Helga replied carefully. "What was it?"

Salazar was silent for long enough that she almost asked the question again, but finally he spoke up quietly, "I knew him."

"Knew him?"

"He isss...from my homeland." A shaky sigh. "I'm sssorry."

"I can't imagine you invited him," she pointed out, "so don't apologize. What was it you heard?"

Salazar closed his eyes and shuddered. "Voiccessss... hisss voiccce. I ssshould never have sssssssent that letter."

Godric blinked. "What letter? I hate to break it to you, Sal, but you're not making any sense."

His eyes opened again. "The _letter_. The one I sssssent to tell my father I wasss married." He clutched at Helga's hand briefly.

"...Oh." Godric shook his head slightly. "I'd almost forgotten about that one. You never got a reply, though."

"Until lassst night."

Helga stared down at him in horror. "...That was your _father_?"

"What?" Salazar blinked at her, then shook his head. "No. He wass from my homeland, yesss. But not...my father. I warned you the wizards from my land were very...inssular."

"I take it," she said, "that they don't approve."

"They don't care what _I_ do. I'm not even human anymore, remember?" His voice was very bitter. "But they don't want me passssing on sssecretssss to outsssssiderss. Or worssse yet, to the Muggless from our home."

"Should we be sending to bring Meghan's family away?" Godric interrupted as _that_ connection came to light. His words were cool and efficient, but his hand had come to rest on Salazar's arm, a little away from a newly-healed wound.

"It probably wouldn't hurt." Salazar sighed. "They noticced her firsst flare of magic, but didn't think anything of it until they connected her to the sschool I ssstarted. I brought thisss on you. I'm ssso ssssorry..."

"Salazar," Helga said firmly, "you are not responsible for your former neighbors being idiots. I'll speak with Rowena when I go to look after the others, and we'll arrange it. Did... this person seem to be acting for all the wizards there? We'll try for stealth, of course, but just to know...."

"He wass probably acting alone. They don't like outssiderss, and they don't want to draw attention to themsselves. But he probably went back home after you defeated him, and they won't allow outssiderss to have him."

Helga snarled softly in a way that made Salazar open his eyes and look alarmed. "Will you forgive my being glad you're away from them, despite the cause?" she asked after a moment. "And do you think they will be watching and attack any party we send?"

"They alwayss watch for outssiderss. They'll attack anyone who threatenss them." He managed a slight, pained shrug. "If it helpss, they'll be furiouss with him for drawing sso much attention to them. He won't be back."

"Should we take it no one else will, then?"

"I doubt it." Salazar sighed. "But that doesssn't change the fact that you have werewolvesss _in the casstle_! You don't know that they were all coercced into helping him. What if they're jusst as likely to attack in human form as wolf, and you've left our sssssstudentssss down there!"

"Do you think we didn't take care? They're away from the main part of the castle and Rowena and I spelled all those back to sleep who were waking up." Helga leaned down and kissed his cheek. "They won't be doing much of anything for a while, and Rowena is with them."

"Don't want you hurt," Salazar murmured. "Be careful."

"I will be. I promise."

Salazar hissed quietly and closed his eyes again. After a moment, Helga put her hand against his cheek. "I think he's asleep already. My goodness...what _happened_ down there, Godric?"

"I don't know. He wasn't even conscious when I got there -- not much, anyway."

She frowned. "His transformations haven't been that bad since he got here. If it was the dark wizard.... Maybe I should stay with him...."

"No doubt he'd appreciate it. On the other hand, while I'm sure he'd appreciate your company _more_, I could stay with him for a little while if you need to go check on the rest...?"

"But what if he gets worse? I don't even know if that's the real reason, or why else it could be.... But if he affected Salazar this way, it might have had other effects on the ones who were being controlled." She hesitated and bit her lip, her instincts as a wife warring with those of a Healer. "I should go...but you'll call me if there's any change with Salazar?"

"Of course I will. It may be because he was that agitated before, too.... But then I don't know what being among the Dementors might have done to the others."

She sighed. "I'd best check. I don't want to leave, but..." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Take care of him."

"Don't I always?"

She smiled fleetingly at him and slipped out the door. Godric sighed and pulled up a chair to sit watch over Salazar. He had to admit he was happy for the chance to rest a bit himself, after all the stoneworking during the night. He wouldn't be much use in the infirmary anyway.

...He just wished Salazar didn't look so pale that he could almost think he was sitting watch over a corpse.

He leaned closer, watching for signs of breath. They were there, though subtle. After some time, Salazar's eyes flickered open, just for a second, and shut again. "Did... you want sssomething?"

"Just making sure you were breathing. I promised Helga I'd look after you, and she's one woman I'd _never_ cross!"

Salazar smiled faintly, still with his eyes closed. "Wise of you."

"Mmm. I try not to be _entirely_ stupid. How are you feeling?"

Silence, though punctuated by a reassuringly long and visible breath. "Very tired. I -- Godric, I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry. I'll have to... tell Helga...." Salazar was flagging again.

"It's all right," Godric said quietly. "The Dementors were affecting all of us, and we wondered once we saw them if whatever was controlling the werewolves out there might have been affecting you too." He set his hand lightly on Salazar's chest, the hand glowing a soft red as he fed energy into the other man. "Helga understands. Just rest."

Salazar shuddered. "Just what you all need, my going madder than usual, falling under _hiss_ control.... I still don't think -- you don't know -- we can't be sure --" He trailed off and panted for a few moments, then burst out, "I realize you don't think they wanted to, but you just dragged half an attacking army into the _school_!"

"Army." Godric smiled sadly. "Salazar, we took precautions, but they could be innocent and they need healing. We did the same for you; why should they be any different just because they came all together instead of one at a time?" He let out a breath and added, "Some of them are children."

"I thought you were mad when you did it for me. Onccce I figured out what you meant...." Salazar opened his eyes again, looking a little unfocused. "Sometimes I still think sssso. After last night...."

"I'm not going to get rid of them just because they're werewolves when the last werewolf we came across became dearer to me than a brother," Godric said firmly. "You've been a very good friend, and an excellent teacher. Your students love you. We couldn't have started this school without you. So calm down and get _better_."

"You realize, even if he forccced them to come here before they transformed, they could still be under compulsionss."

"That _had_ occurred to us, yes. But I think between us we could break any compulsion they might be under. I told you, we ARE taking precautions. You don't have to worry about us."

Salazar subsided again, leading Godric to consider the possibility that he was actually going to rest. "Alwaysss worry about you." Apparently not. "And I meant... after the way _I_ acted lasst night."

"I know what you meant. I also discarded it as pointless."

"You don't lisssten, do you, Godric?"

"I listen. I also make my own decisions."

"Godric, I tried to bite you!"

"But you didn't _actually_ bite me."

"_Twiccce._"

"And you didn't do it _once_. I told you, we were ALL feeling the effects then. None of us were in the best of shape."

"None of the resst of you attacked your own."

"None of us had the wizard who was controlling those werewolves affecting us as well."

"How do you know I did? How do you know he wass affecting me?"

"Seems logical. You weren't acting like yourself."

"But I was. That's jusst the trouble."

"Will you stop arguing and _rest_?"

"Jusst... please be careful."

"With the other werewolves or with you?" Godric asked quietly.

Salazar looked at him and then shut his eyes again. "Both."

"We'll be as careful with you all as you deserve to be."

"You're really not encouraging sometimes, Godric."

"You're not very optimistic sometimes, Salazar."

"I prefer my sssurprisses to be pleasant ones."

"Getting to know you HAS been a pleasant surprise. Maybe it'll be the same with these new werewolves. We're not going to be stupid about it, but we're going to give them a chance, same as you."

"God knowss they likely need one. If they were forcced."

"The children need the chance regardless. They'll get it here. And those that weren't forced will be...dealt with before they're trouble to anyone else."

Salazar shuddered a little. "True enough."

"And you, my friend, are no danger to anyone, so stop worrying. Everything's all right."

Salazar sat right up at that, going deathly white but catching himself on his hands before he could fall back, and then reached out to clutch at Godric's arm. "_Don't say that._ Godric, if you want me to believe you know what you're doing, know what you're talking about, if you want me to believe you're being careful, don't -- ever -- say that again."

"You're no danger to anyone," Godric repeated firmly, putting his free hand on Salazar's shoulder and pushing him gently until he lay back down again, shaking slightly. "As long as we take the proper precautions. The difference between you and the dangerous werewolves is that you don't WANT to hurt anyone. You put up with being sealed into a stone chamber every month just so you won't hurt anyone, even though it's bloody obvious that makes it harder for _you_. You scared us this time, Sal."

"_Jussssst._ It'ss -- I'm sstill dangerous, Godric, I almost fought you to keep from going lasst night --"

"And in the end you almost broke your neck running down there so fast."

"You don't underssstand -- I wanted -- I was afraid, if I turned --"

"You'd fight us. You think the thought hasn't occurred to us? Believe me, it has. But we've restrained you before and we could do it again if we needed to."

"Even if it's jusst one of you?"

"If you're just starting the transformation, yes, I'm fairly sure I could stop you long enough to get you restrained."

"That'ss... good."

"Regardless of what you seem to think, Salazar, we're not fools. We talked a great deal about the possible dangers before we first invited you to stay here. None of those have changed, but we _have_ grown fond of you in that time and we've built something wonderful together. You think we're going to jeopardize that just because of some dangers we've known about all along?"

"I would not ssay you're fools. I feared you were letting... affection blind you, and I am not ssure how you plan to handle -- how many werewolves, if all ssstay to the next full moon?"

"Not all of them survived the cold we used against the Dementors," Godric said softly, "and we don't know how many will want to stay. If they do, we'll come up with something that won't endanger the students."

Salazar hesitated, then nodded and relaxed a little against the pillows. "I... imagine sso."

"See? You didn't fall in with _complete_ idiots. We know what we're doing, Sal."

"I will grant the firssst but not the ssecond. You jusst make it up well."

Godric grinned broadly. "That too."

Salazar kept his eyes open barely long enough to roll them.


	11. Sorting Things Out

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling. No undue claim nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Chapter 11: Sorting Things Out**

Salazar woke a few times to healing potions and the vague thought that it didn't usually take this long for him to heal before he finally woke with a clear enough mind to look around the room for Helga. But she wasn't there. Nor was Godric or Rowena. Salazar tried to fight back the disappointment. They had other things to do, students to deal with. And werewolves. His stomach twisted. He didn't _like_ the thought of however many werewolves were now resting in the school, but he unfortunately wasn't in any condition to do anything about it now.

A slight movement caught his eye, and he turned to see a form he hadn't noticed before. Still not his friends, but-- "Meghan? What are you doing here?"

"Professor Hufflepuff asked me to bring you food, and give you this potion when you woke, and tell her how you were."

"I ssuppose sshe's sstill bussy, then..." He supposed the girl made sense. She and Sarah were the only students who knew about his...condition, which would be hard to explain to the students who were probably told he'd been injured in the battle. But he very selfishly wanted his wife there. "You may tell her I'm fine."

"I think she wouldn't quite believe me," Meghan said seriously. "She is very busy. I could see she'd rather have come herself."

He smiled faintly. "Tell her I'm as well as can be expected, then. How is...everything?"

"Strange."

"We need to work on your ssspeaking ssskills, clearly."

Meghan blushed, which made him realize how pale she'd been before. Now, if that was on his account, he wondered uncharitably, how bad was she about the rest? Then he brightened. At least Meghan wouldn't tell him not to worry. "Well, the corridors are still not quite in the same places, and the other teachers all look tired. Not as tired as you," she added, "but I don't know if anybody's caught up resting since the Dementors."

"What about the...prissonersss?"

"They've probably slept more than anybody else?" Meghan offered with a tiny attempt at a smile.

Salazar hissed softly. "I don't blame them. They were closser to the Dementorss. Do you....know how many there are?"

"Fifteen. No... fourteen. One died this morning." Meghan swallowed. "And they've been sleeping partly because... they're charmed to. Professor Hufflepuff said it was gentlest, and safest for now."

"Ssssssafe. Good. They sssshould be careful." Salazar closed his eyes again briefly and sighed. He was sorry to hear one had died, though a small part of him whispered it was just as well. He pushed that part aside firmly and opened his eyes to look at Meghan. "You sssaid you were here to bring me food and potion too?"

She went red again and moved the tray toward his bed, then hesitated. "Do you need help sitting up...?"

He shook his head, braced himself, and sat up in one quick motion that drained his face of all color. He breathed in short gasps for a moment, then managed a shaky smile for Meghan. "Sssssee?"

Meghan regarded him with rather worried wide eyes, set the tray carefully across his lap, and then hastily moved to rearrange the pillows so he could lean back against them. "I... see."

Salazar lifted the small goblet that held his potion first, making a face at the smell before downing it resolutely. As he started picking at the food, he asked Meghan, "How are the sssstudentss dealing with everything, other than being tired?"

"...Staying away from the passageway to that part of the school, mostly."

"A very fine idea. No lasssting effectss from the Dementorss?"

"Still some... dreams. Sarah says feeling cold is part of it too."

"Yesss. It will go away eventually. Try telling pleasssant sstoriesss or jokess, or jusst be together. It will fade fasster."

She nodded. "Thank you. We'll try." She was hovering, a little too tense, and watching him eat. "I hadn't known Dementors could be destroyed that way...."

"Nor I, frankly. I've never heard of anything but Patronussses. But your professssorsss are very creative."

Another tiny smile. "I'd noticed."

Salazar picked at his soup listlessly. He wanted Helga. "How isss William?"

"Professor Hufflepuff's been keeping him with her." Meghan paused. "I could ask her to let me bring him here? Or would you rather wait until she can?"

"I..." Salazar wavered briefly, his desire to see his son warring with fatherly protective instincts. Finally he said reluctantly, "Bessst wait. Don't think I can even hold him now."

"Oh. Well... I'm sure she'll bring him as soon as she has the chance?"

"I know." Not soon enough. "Don't worry about it."

Meghan nodded obediently and continued to hover, observing his slow progress with the soup until he inquired, "Did ssshe tell you to report how much I ate, or are you hungry?"

"What? I -- no! That is, well, she did say to make sure you stayed awake long enough to finish it...."

"Wide awake," he told her with another faint smile, followed by a yawn. "Sssee? But I think ssomeone sslipped ssleeping potionss in my ssoup."

"...She said you were more tired than usual this time."

"Jussst a sside effect from the Dementorss. Don't worry."

"It's hard not to," she said softly. He barely heard her.

"I know it mussst be frightening for all the sstudentss, but the danger iss over, and you've sseen that you ARE ssafe here, even if there are thosse who would ssseek otherwisse."

"I'll try to remember that, sir."

He took another shaky spoonful of soup, aware of Meghan's surreptitious glances and feeling unaccountably frustrated. He knew the girl found him intimidating despite all their efforts, but an angry flobberworm could do more damage that he could right now! He looked over at her and snapped, "Thiss is the time of month you can be MOSSST calm around me, you know."

Meghan jumped and opened her mouth, looking very distressed, and then closed it again for a few seconds before saying in a very small voice, "..I hadn't even thought you'd try to hurt me."

"Then why do you keep acting like I'm about to bite you?"

"I didn't think I was...."

"You're acting nervoussss. As ussual, but...you don't have to be nervousss around me. I'm just a professsor."

Meghan bit her lip. "You're still one of... them. The wizards from back home, I mean. But I -- I think I've grown used to that, mostly...."

Salazar leaned his head back against his pillow and sighed quietly, his appetite gone. "Meghan, I haven't...been one of them for a very, very long time." There was a hint of pain in his voice, but mostly resignation.

"I know you've not been back there, but.... I think that scared me at least as much as finding out you were a werewolf did, at first. And I do know that -- that you don't act like them -- they wouldn't have taught me."

Salazar considered this for a moment, then admitted, "They might have, if you'd been willing to renouncce all your tiess to the Muggle community. But they probably would never have even known you were magical. They wouldn't have noticced you enough for that." If not for him. His mouth twitched in a bitter smile. "But at leasst they'd ssstill recognize you as human."

"I wasn't ever sure if they thought Muggles counted in the first place."

"Lesssser humans. But sstill human. They never ssought to...exterminate the Muggle community, did they?"

"It wouldn't be there if they had."

"Preccisssely."

She lowered her eyes. "But they don't think you are." A moment later she looked intently at him and asked, rushing the words, "Do you think that? That we're -- that Muggles are lesser humans?"

Salazar was silent for a long moment, considering his words carefully. "I did, oncce. I never thought that it could be otherwisse. I never _knew_ Muggless, and didn't quesstion what I'd been told. And...during my yearss before coming here, I learned only that Mugglesss could be dangerouss." Another bitter smile. "But then, ssso could wizardss." He sighed, ripping off tiny pieces of bread and dropping them in his soup. "But then I came here, and I ssaw that people could be good again, whether they were of old magical families or the firsst in their familiess with ssuch a talent." His smile was less bitter, thinking of Rowena, who hailed from a very old family, but Muggle aristocracy, not magical. "I'm...ssstill not ssure what I think entirely. I'm sssorry I can't ansswer you better."

"You answered. You could have told me not to be impertinent."

"I'm a teacher. We like quessstionss." His smile was more genuine now.

Meghan smiled back, though Salazar still thought she looked too pale. "But you don't _have_ to like personal ones. Thank you."

"All learning iss valuable. And I think you're more entitled to mosst to the ansswer. I _did_ ssseek only magical-born for my Housse, but not becausse I thought Muggle-born were...lessss."

She frowned over this a little, and gave his soup a significant look. Salazar swallowed the unexpected urge to laugh and dutifully tried to swallow more of his meal as well. "Why is it, then?" Meghan asked finally. "It doesn't get you out of teaching the very beginning things...."

"Sssafety," he said quietly, stirring his soup. "There are sso many Muggles who are terrified of magic, and who would sseek to harm any wizards they could. Children are esspecially vulnerable, and I would rissk no chancce of harm to you if I could. The others didn't agree. I have taken ssome Muggle-born ssincce, but...it iss a hard habit to overcome."

"I think they would have a hard time getting in here, if they meant harm." Meghan folded her hands together in her lap and stared at them as she added, "And wizards can be just as dangerous as Muggles, after all."

"True enough. I did sssay sso." Salazar turned up sodden bits of bread in his soup as Meghan continued to watch him. "Muggless wouldn't be likely to sset Dementorss and werewolvess on uss, after all." He picked at the remaining dry piece of bread and shredded more of it into the bowl. "When I ssaid... the wizardss back home would never have known you were magical... I ssusspect they do now. The one who attacked uss... knew me. He wasss angry with me -- he ssssaid for 'sssharing our sssecretsss' with outssiderss." Meghan had gone very white. "Jussst in casse he learned of you, we're sssending to bring your family here." He found it in himself to smile rather fiercely. "And we sshall alsso give warning that any further hosstilitiess and they will _never_ be left to themsselvess again. I think they will keep him in hand, for the ssake of being left alone."

He could see the girl relax, though he was familiar enough with tension that wouldn't go away to see some of that in her even so. "Thank you," she said softly. "For -- for fetching them. I'm glad...." Meghan blinked hard; Salazar realized it was to stop tears. She conquered them, at least for the moment, by asking, "Are you, though? Sharing secrets, I mean?"

The question startled him into laughing. "Sssome, I ssupposse. For potionss-brewing, at leasst. If there are any on other ssubjectss better than what the resst of your teacherss have got, I don't know them."

She jumped when he laughed, but then smiled a little and looked down at her hands, then up at him again with a serious expression. "I'm sorry I've been nervous. It's -- it _is_ strange here now -- and more so having you like this still -- and Professor Hufflepuff sent me to help, but I don't really know what I'm doing, not like Sarah would."

"I ssupposse Ssarah iss needed to help our...new guessstss. Don't worry." Salazar tried to smile reassuringly. "I don't actually need any healing now. Jusst resst."

"And food. Professor Hufflepuff was very insistent about that."

He chuckled softly. "I think Professor Hufflepuff jusst likess a sssturdy hussband."

"Well, you like to oblige her in that, don't you sir?"

He eyed her and took a large bite. "Yess. But you needn't look at me like I'm dying if I haven't eaten every drop yet."

"If I thought you were dying, I would run for Professor Hufflepuff to come and stop you."

"Ssee? You know what to do as well as Ssarah."

She smiled a little. "Maybe for that."

"You can relax. I won't be dying today." He smiled at her, though there was a hint of a shadow in his eyes. "I have too much sstill to do."

Meghan finally stopped hovering and perched in the chair by his bed, eyes troubled. "I hope you don't finish it too quickly, then."

He smiled faintly and finished his soup. "Don't worry."

"And tell pleasant stories?"

"Sstories are alwayss good."

"I'll try." She moved the tray aside. "Do you want me to put the pillows back down?"

"Mmm. Yesss, thanksss."

It wasn't nearly as graceful as when his friends did it all at once and by magic, but Salazar supposed she really _couldn't_ be too worried about his attacking if she wasn't afraid to lean in and rearrange all the pillows again by hand.

...That was nice. People not fearing him had become very precious to him over the years. Perhaps...there was hope yet, for him and for those werewolves in the infirmary right now.

Not such a bad legacy to leave behind.

Salazar closed his eyes and leaned back on the rearranged pillows. He'd been thinking about his legacy a great deal lately. Perhaps...there was something he could do about it.

"You want to do _what_?"

Salazar beamed at his friends, practically bouncing in his eagerness. "Enchant an object with our minds to do the Sorting for us. I've been working it out for days. Just think -- it'll Sort even better than us because it can read the children magically! And even after we're gone, we'll still be able to have our Houses chosen as we would want."

Helga frowned at him. "You been thinking about this for _days_ and never mentioned it to me?"

"Well...you've been busy getting the werewolves set up and I've just been lazing around in bed. I had to think of _something_."

"And I suppose you wanted to work all the details out first? I'm still surprised you didn't say _anything_."

"The few times you weren't worn out when I saw you...that wasn't what was on my mind."

She colored slightly and smiled at him. "Mmm, well...it just seems a little redundant to have an object trying to sort the children into Houses when we choose the ones to come anyway. When's the last time we changed our minds about a child once he actually arrived?"

"That's worked for the ones we've chosen, but even now we have friends and acquaintances sending us children," Salazar countered. "We have to sort those once they've arrived as it is, and as things expand we'll have former students sending even more. That may even be the way we recruit completely in the future."

"I've been working on a charm to find all the magical children in the isles," Rowena told them, with evident enthusiasm and her eyes unfocused in the direction of the far wall.

"And we've been wanting to expand," Godric mused. "It takes long enough to sort just a few unexpected students. But I'm not sure how a spell like that would work. Can we trust any enchantment to know what _we'd_ want? We can enchant behaviors, but we can't make it _think_."

Salazar leaned forward. "It's possible to give an object a mind. Our minds."

Rowena's eyes lit and she cried out excitedly, "Of _course_! Put a bit of ourselves into it and it would make whatever choices _we_ would!" She grabbed her husband's hands and danced a bit eagerly. "I don't think it's ever been done before. Think of the challenge!"

"I've been working it out as far as I can in my own mind." Salazar gripped the edge of the table. "There'ss no reason it shouldn't work. And we work _together_ well enough --"

"So there's no reason why our minds shouldn't as well." Godric rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He was technically the charms expert of the group, though by this point they'd intermixed each others' specialties enough that it barely mattered. "I think..." A broad grin. "It just might work."

"Of coursse it would."

"Don't sound so insulted. It's not worked out in my head like it is in yours yet. But since you've worked it out so nicely, tell us just what we'll be putting our minds IN."

Salazar frowned. "Well... I didn't get that far. It should work with any object, in theory -- so should giving it a way to look into _their_ minds and give its decision -- they'd need to touch it, that's all...."

"So we could just enchant a...quill or something?" Rowena asked. "It could look into their minds, then write out their House!"

Helga smiled and suggested, "Maybe something a little sturdier?"

Rowena hmphed. "We could enchant it for that."

"We'll be enchanting it enough as it IS, though."

Godric grinned. "I have the _perfect_ solution."

"NO rocks," Salazar warned. "We want children to be able to pick it up!"

"Oh please. We put a rock in the middle of the Great Hall, they walk up and put a hand on it. Nice and sturdy. But anyway, that's not what I was talking about." His grin broadened as he plucked the hat off his head and plopped it on Salazar's. "Light enough for you?"

Salazar scrunched his face up, causing Helga to giggle, and removed the hat, which he regarded with distaste. "You do realize," he pointed out, "that this thing is hideous?"

"But comfortable," Godric dismissed the objection easily, used to the argument. "And anyway, it doesn't have to be pretty to work."

"No, but it's looked as if it might fall apart ever since it was made." Salazar frowned at it dubiously. "If this is to choose when we're gone, I'd rather it actually outlast uss."

"It's not charmed, but it's made out of some sturdy stuff, I promise. It'll last a thousand years at least, I promise!"

"What is it, then?" Helga laughed. "Dragonhide?"

"My sssecret," Godric replied in a passable imitation of Salazar's Parseltongue accent, making the other man snort.

"If it has intrinsic magic in it, we'll have to take that into account." Rowena took the hat from Salazar and peered into it, twiddling the brim between her fingers and then giving it a sudden yank. "Hm. Well, I suppose it is sturdy. At any rate, it could interfere with _our_ magic, otherwise. With it in mind, though, we should be able to hang ours _on_ the intrinsic magic and make it a good deal stronger...."

"Griffin hide, actually. Someone's idea of a joke. They apparently have very sturdy skins under the feathers." Godric shrugged. "There's nothing about it that shoulde interfere with our magic, and I think it's a perfect form. The children can just put the hat on and it can see straight into their minds!"

"Well," Helga said thoughtfully, "at least this would keep _you_ from wearing it all the time."

"We'll use it," Rowena and Salazar said in chorus.

"Hey, what makes you think it would keep --" Godric stopped. "Ah. Of course. It would share _your_ opinions, wouldn't it."

"Besides," Rowena pointed out with impeccable logic, "you can hardly wear it all the time if we're going to use it for the sortings."

"I could take it off for them," Godric grumbled. "But I couldn't live with you three chattering in my ear all the time. Ah well. I can find a new hat."

"Godric, you are my husband and I love you very much," Rowena told him, kissing his cheek, "and _I_ will find you a new hat. You'll just end up with something else that looks like THAT!"

"That's the whole POINT!"

"I thought you wanted it to be comfortable."

"That one IS comfortable." But he swept her up in a quick, hard kiss and grinned. "I'll take whatever you give me, wife of mine. Now Salazar, how do we go about doing this enchantment of yours?"

Four days later, Salazar had called the other three in to gather around a deep cauldron filled with something bright white and faintly glowing that he said was a potion for holding thoughts.

"It looks," Helga observed, "very like milk."

"I promise it won't sour." Salazar rolled his eyes, smiling, then pulled her against his side and kissed her. "Or not quickly. We can place memories and thoughts in it and let the hat steep in them."

"Amazing." Helga leaned over the cauldron and studied the ingredients from only a few inches away. "So that's how we'll give the hat our minds. But how do we put our thoughts IN it?"

"Eassy enough." Salazar pulled out his wand and touched it to his temple. When he pulled it away, silvery strands were attached. He touched it to the potion, which glowed brighter for a moment before returning to its original color. "It's simple. Just be sure not to remove the memories permanently."

They stared at him. "Do you think," Rowena asked after a moment, "that you could go into a bit more detail on that procedure?" She eyed the potion with interest. "Of course, I suppose it might be possible to do much the same as in writing the thoughts down...."

He laughed. "That's exactly the idea. Just hold a thought firmly in your mind and think of writing it -- speaking it, whatever you prefer -- as you hold your wand to your head."

"Very clever," she said approvingly. "Does it require anything physical from us as well?"

"It will, but not yet. To sseal the spell in the end it will require something physical, but I haven't decided what yet." He grinned. "No body parts, though. I had to prevent that from affecting things, or we'd end up giving it the personality of the griffin."

Godric laughed at that. "Definitely not a good idea. Griffins are touchy. So." He stared the potion speculatively for a long moment, a small wrinkle appearing between his eyebrows, then touched his wand to his own temple and drew out something that looked remarkably like a spiderweb until it all came free and collapsed into a single strand.

"That looked like a complex thought," Rowena said. "What was it? Or what were they?"

"Not complex enough, yet." Godric smiled at her. "About all of you."

"Oh dear. I'd best put something in immediately to counteract it, then." Rowena smiled warmly at him, touched her own wand to her temple, and concentrated for a moment until a silver strand attached to it. "That should even things out."

"I had it in mind that we would define _ourselves_," Salazar pointed out, "not each other. Though I suppose this could have interesting results...."

Godric clapped him on the shoulder and grinned. "There's little that defines me more than the three of you, Sal. That's the first thing I'll put in to anything."

"And anyway," Helga said lightly, "I think we have a higher opinion of you than you do sometimes, Salazar. If we contribute to what the hat knows of you, you should be pleased."

"I DO want it to be accurate, my dear."

"Then you should be pleased all the more," she retorted.

"I'll just be sure to counter your version with the truth," he told her with a light kiss. "At any rate, it needs to ssoak for twenty days, so we can add thoughts as we think of them. Try to concentrate mostly on what you want your House to mean."

Rowena nodded, which Salazar missed entirely while looking at Helga. Rowena cleared her throat. "And after that?"

"Oh. Well, that sshould leave it with the ability to think -- it's not as if magic doesn't tend to make personalities a little _contagious_ anyway -- and then it will need the ability to look into their minds, to speak, and... I wass thinking a direct connection to the sschool." He looked from Rowena to Godric. "Land and stone and sspirit."

"Aye, a good idea. It's to be part of Hogwarts, for now and always. I can take care of that part. Helga's always spoken for the school from the beginning, so that'll be her part, I imagine?"

"Leaving the mind-reading for me," Rowena finished, nodding. "Sounds logical."

"Given that you're the only one of us who's ever managed to read anyone's mind in something approaching an orderly fashion," Helga said decisively, "I should say so."

"Well, then..." Rowena tapped her index finger against her mouth, thinking. "If this has to soak for twenty days. We shouldn't do ours right on top of each other, give them each time to set. That will put us at..." She tallied things up on her fingers with a lot of humming, then frowned and looked up at Salazar. "It'll put us right at the next full moon."

Salazar smiled weakly. "It'ss a new potion. I'm quite sure it will work," he added hastily, "but I had to be careful -- and it does need the time. I'll have made all my contribution to it by then, other than the final object...."

"Which needs all four of us to do?"

"Well, not sstrictly speaking. Technically it only needs one person to insert the object." Salazar smiled faintly. "But I would like to be there, yes."

There was a short silence. "Well, then," Godric said at last, "if we can't have it done before, we'll finish it once you're well enough after."

Salazar draped his arm around Helga's shoulders and squeezed lightly. "I can't wait. Imagine -- no matter what happenss, there will be a part of uss living on for...however long Godric'ss hat lasstss!" He leaned his cheek against Helga's soft hair and smiled contentedly. "Alwayss a record of our friendsship and what we've built here."

"A strange kind of immortality," Rowena mused, "but the best, I think."

They added more ideas and memories, pieces of their minds and hearts, for the next hour before they were satisfied that there was enough in the potion for a good beginning. It had taken on a warm tinge, almost a color but not quite, that made them all want to smile when they looked at it. Godric lowered the hat in, upside-down, and it floated with the brim flat on the surface of the liquid for a moment before a silver-white trickle made its way through a gap and began pooling in the tip.

"Well...it looks like a good beginning, at least," Helga said hopefully. "And now I have just over three weeks to figure out a spell to make it speak!"

"You will succeed beautifully. Whereupon, no doubt, it will tell us what it thinks of this whole procedure," Salazar said with a grin. "Rowena, that remindss me -- if you are ready early with the spell to make it read minds, I don't think it would do any harm to place it at once."

Rowena frowned slightly. "I could probably do it within days, but I'm not sure how I'd avoid affecting the potion as well."

Salazar waved a hand. "That wouldn't be a problem. Composed in part of our thoughts as it is, it would only let it seek in us as well. Perhaps it would even enhancce the function...."

"If you're sure...I'll see what I can do. I don't want to rush it, though. We have plenty of time."

A look of pain flashed briefly in Salazar's eyes, though it was hidden as he ducked his head down to kiss the top of Helga's head lightly. "Of courssse we do."

Helga tilted her head up and smiled at him. "It never seems like we have _enough_ time most days around here! But I don't have any classes, and you don't have any classes. William is asleep, and all my patients are finally out of the infirmary." She grinned and kissed the tip of his nose. "Godric, Rowena, if you'll excuse us..."

Salazar frowned suddenly. "About your patientss," he began.

"Her patients," Rowena proclaimed, "are giving you _no_ reason to worry. The one who refused to try living in peace... fought with the wrong witch among the others, and the rest are settling near enough we can help them but not far enough to... raise alarm. Everything is going very well. Now be excused and give Helga a chance to do something _other_ than worry about them."

"That's ssstill too near," Salazar grumbled quietly. "They were raissed againsst us oncce. What's to sstop ssomeone elsse from doing it again?"

"_You've_ advised us how to stop the one who did it trying the same trick again," Rowena reminded him, "and since they don't _want_ to come against us, Godric's made arrangements for them to be confined as well -- with or without his direct assistance."

Salazar sighed. He still didn't like it, but...after all they'd done for _him_, he certainly didn't have room to complain. And Helga was leaning against him, very warm, and he loved her so very much...He wanted to take advantage of that while he could. He was _tired_, more tired than he'd ever been between full moons before. He didn't want the others to see it, but...

He was getting old, that was all. There was still life in him yet. And he was going to enjoy it. "Then ssshoo, you two. Get to work providing William with a cousin to grow up with, hmm?" He pressed his lips against Helga's temple. "We'll be...unavailable for a while."

Laughter followed them out the door, but it politely found something else to do before they reached their own room.


	12. And the Clash of Friend on Friend

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No disrespect nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Chapter 12: ...And the Clash of Friend on Friend**

Time passed very differently when you were a rock.

All the usual indications of the passage of time didn't really matter to a rock. Light and darkness made no difference, seasons passed with little note, and living creatures that passed by had lifetimes of an eyeblink compared to the rock. Still, the stones that had formed themselves into the castle of Hogwarts were more aware of living creatures than most, whether that was from the care Godric had paid to them over the years or the shouts and laughter of students that caused stone corridors to ring.

Godric emerged from the partial merge with the essence of the castle blinking his eyes slowly, feeling a little odd as he always did when returning his consciousness to such a soft, fragile body. But his mission for the moment had been accomplished, and he regarded the hat in front of him with pride. The castle was aware of it now, and the connection would grow over the next two days until it was unbreakable by time or magic.

But for now it was still fragile, and Godric wouldn't have the focus to devote to it with the full moon tonight, as it was his month to wait with Salazar. So he had used his wand as the focus of the spell, though he rarely bothered with it for stonework, and left it now connecting the hat and the stones. He could live without it for a few days, after all, and it was worth it to finish this project at last! He stood up slowly, leaving the hat on the floor, and frowned at the stiffness. He wasn't certain how long he'd sat there, and the moon would rise early.

He left the room, quickening his steps when he reached a window to see the angle of the sunlight. He'd hoped to have time to check the newly-settled werewolves in their village, but their enclosure had been designed so that they shouldn't need him there. He only hoped they knew what they were talking about, those who'd claimed that transforming in company would ease the madness; the sickening vision of finding the next morning that they'd torn one another to pieces kept coming back to mind.

But Salazar _had_ calmed down remarkably when Sharessa started joining him in the Chamber, so perhaps they were right. Nothing to do about it now, though. Salazar would be heading down to the Chamber shortly, if he wasn't there already, and--

His thoughts pulled up short at a familiar figure passing quickly through a cross-corridor. Godric jogged slightly to catch up. "Sal! Wrong way."

Salazar gestured back the way he'd come; Godric shut his mouth sharply to avoid gaping at the sight of the two students hurrying to catch up. "They've been having trouble distinguishing gillyweed that is normally mottled and a useful ingredient from that which is suffering spotting from dry-rot. I'm going to show them some examples."

Godric stared at him.

"Is ssomething _wrong_?" Salazar asked with acid politeness.

Godric found his tongue and voice again. "I can show them for you a bit later on. I've been _trying_ to get rid of that problem, but you know how it stores -- I need you for something just now, though." He nodded to the students. "Sorry to steal him away, but I'm sure you two can find something else to do; I'll come find you when there's time."

The students took one quick look between their two professors and bolted back the way they'd come. Salazar barely waited until they were out of site before snapping, "I can sshow them _mysssssself_. I believe potionss iss ssstill _my_ sssubject?"

"Yes, but plants are mine, and I did tell them I needed you to do something else." Godric lowered his voice. "The moon rises early tonight. The village should be well, but --" Hopefully that would remind Salazar, however he'd managed to forget, without being too obvious if the students weren't out of earshot yet. Everyone knew about the _other_ werewolves.

"You think I don't know when the moon risssssesss? Believe me, I'm far more familiar with it than you! You don't have to _nurssssemaid_ me, Godric."

"The moon rises early enough that you don't have _time_ to be showing anybody which gillyweed to use!"

"I think I know how to judge my own time." Salazar's voice was very low, though Godric couldn't tell if it was for anger or a similar safeguard against eavesdroppers. "And ssshouldn't you be down checking up on your _other_ petsss?"

"I don't have time to get there and back now. They should be able to do without me -- and at any rate if something goes wrong there's no one else around." His hand closed on Salazar's arm before he quite realized what he was doing; the other man's face contorted in rage. "Not to mention, none of you are _pets_," Godric hissed, "and _you_ are my _friend_."

Salazar jerked his arm out of Godric's grasp. "Then treat me like one and sssstop acting like my keeper. And what term would you prefer for your little collection of beassstss? Menagerie?"

"I believe I called them a village a moment ago. They're people, Salazar, and they needed a place --"

"They've been dangerouss before!" Salazar exploded, not bothering to keep his voice down any longer. "They'd have desstroyed the sschool if given the chance! It'ss all very well to preach toleranccce, but are even YOU ssstupid enough to risssk our _ssstudentsss_ to your blasssted idealss?"

"I'm not stupid enough to blame them for something they didn't even want to do!"

"You can _claim_ they're not dangerousss all you want, but that doesssn't change FACTSS! Go deal with them if you want to experiment. I refusssse to be a part of it any longer!"

"You've barely been a part of it from the first!" Godric roared. With an effort, he lowered his voice. "Right now I'm more worried about _you_."

"Worry. A fine way to sssay I ssshould be doing whatever YOU want me to!"

"You agreed it was a good idea before."

"YOU three agreed it wass a good idea and gave me no choiccce but to go along with it. I never wanted them in the ssschool!"

"Most if not all of them had nowhere else to go. What exactly would you have suggested?"

"Sssomewhere ELSSE!" Salazar exploded. "Ssomewhere they wouldn't be a danger to our sstudentss! We never ssshould have taken them in!"

"There was no one else who _could_, Salazar! They've no more desire to be a danger than _you_ do." Which Godric could start to wonder about, as late as it was getting -- but he couldn't believe that of Salazar. Perhaps it had really been the moon, not the Dementors or their master? "We took precautions all the same. Salazar, come, let's go and --"

"Leave me ALONE!" Salazar snarled, whirling away with his face a mask of fury. "Sssstop trying to interfere in my life!"

"Would _you_ rather be in the woods on your own?" Godric snapped back at him.

"If it getss me away from YOU! I sssshould have left long ago." He glared at Godric, eyes flashing, and pushed past him. "I'll correct that now."

If he'd gone toward the chamber, Godric would have just followed him. He didn't. Godric blocked his path, shaking his head. "You're headed the wrong way, then. Or do _you_ mean to turn on the students now?"

Salazar was shaking with anger now. His words were nearly a hiss. "You're. In. My. Way."

"Yes, I know. Do you want to take this to the Chamber or outside? Because it's going to have to be one or the other."

"All you have to do iss sssstep asssside. I ssssuggessst you do it."

"Salazar, I'm warning you --"

In one swift motion, Salazar's wand was in his trembling hand and pointed at Godric. "Sssstep asssside!"

And Godric had left his own wand with the hat, because he could get along without it, and Salazar would never be mad enough not to cooperate and go to the Chamber, _would_ he? "Whatever you think of me right now," Godric said as steadily as he could, "I do care about the students' safety -- even if you don't right now!"

Salazar's mouth opened, his lips drawing back to hiss a spell; Godric drew his sword and realized in horror as it came free that the friend who'd insisted he wear it wasn't going to be able to speak or hiss, only snarl. "Salazar, go before I have to force you!"

Salazar stared blankly at the bared blade as if he couldn't even understand what it was. Then he snarled again at his friend, no reason in his eyes. The rumbling in his throat shook the blade until a thin trickle of blood appeared. Godric's swordhand was steady, but his voice was far from it. "We're going, Salazar. Now."

He did have to force him. Salazar turned from the blade in the right direction, but Godric couldn't tell if that was anything more than chance. He found himself driving a man he loved more than anyone but Rowena through the corridors with stone and sword as though he were a beast. It was surely madness of his own that made him seize Salazar by the back of the neck when the transformation threw him off his legs; Godric hauled him along and only let go when the wolf twisted in his grasp -- he had to throw it down to keep its jaws from his side.

It would have been easier to close stone around him in a narrow place and leave him. It might have been wiser. Godric only thought of this after he'd backed the wolf at swordpoint into the outer chamber and Sharessa, hissing her distress, had coiled around her master and dragged him into the small one; Godric thought of stopping in the corridors only once he had shut them in and dropped to his knees to weep.

He HATED this! Salazar was like a brother to him and once a month he had to treat that brother like an animal. Once a month he had to sit out here, knowing Salazar was going through agony inside and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it. Once a month, he had to open that stone again to see Salazar's battered body sprawled there.

...And apparently, once a month he was now going to have to _fight_ Salazar to get him down there.

The rubies on the hilt of his sword glinted in the torchlight, shining drops of rock-hard blood. Godric threw the sword away from him in disgust. He'd used it on his FRIEND, his brother, after they'd spent the past month on a project that was supposed to be the embodiment of their friendship. How could he even _look_ at it again?

And yet it was the only reason a werewolf wasn't rampaging their school until it was struck down by magic and those who loved Salazar as much as he did. His wand wouldn't have been as much use even if he'd had it. Most direct spells had to be given at least double their usual force before they'd work on a werewolf. As they'd demonstrated a month ago.... Helga might have been able to soothe him. She'd always been good at that. Maybe the Caduceus spell -- maybe next month they could ask Salazar to go down early again, when he was still enough himself to understand, and perhaps they could keep him calmer then. It would be more conspicuous than their more recent methods, but less so than _this_....

The planning should have given him hope. Godric knew it wouldn't change the sorrow, but it should have lifted the dread. It didn't.

Salazar hadn't even calmed down tonight when he'd joined Sharessa, Godric remembered grimly. Of course, that was probably because Godric himself had still been present, and presence of humans always made the wolf angrier. But Sharessa had surely calmed him by now. Godric struggled to hear howls from the Chamber, wishing he could risk thinning out the stone.

...He'd thought that first full moon Salazar spent in the Chamber was the longest of his life. This was at least twice as long.

Moonset was engraved on his soul. And, incidentally, charmed into one of the serpentine columns that decorated the anteChamber so it hissed at him when the moon had set. He'd always meant to ask Salazar for a translation. But now he just hurried to the Chamber and melted back stone as quickly as he could, eager to get Salazar up to Helga and apologize once sanity had returned.

Sharessa's greeting hiss seemed to hold a note of menace. Godric didn't quite look at her as he knelt by Salazar, who was lying as still as last time.

Or more still.

Godric put fingers carefully to his friend's throat and felt nothing. "Salazar."

No response.

"Wake up, Salazar."

No movement, not even a groan.

"Ennervate!" He wasn't in the best state for wandless magic, but he fired the waking spell into Salazar's chest regardless. "Ennervate! Wake UP, damnit! Salazar--" He broke off and just shook Salazar's shoulder fiercely. "Open your damned eyes!"

Sharessa hissed at him again, louder. Godric looked up incautiously and stared at her for a moment, wondering uneasily if she would attack him for being too rough. But she was right if she thought he shouldn't. It wouldn't help. He'd -- he would take Salazar up to see if Helga could do anything, but....

Somehow he doubted it.

He didn't have his wand, so he picked Salazar up and cradled the too-still form in his arms. "Let's go find your wife, brother." This time it was his voice steady and his arms trembling as he stepped carefully out of the Chamber. "She'll fix everything. She'll make everything all right again. She's a healer; she can do that. Just hold on."

Godric kept his eyes trained on the floor so he didn't have to look at Helga or Rowena as he carried Salazar into his room and gently laid him on the bed. Helga went to the bedside at once when Godric stepped back. She didn't work long, though. When she stopped and leaned over her husband, braced on the bed and weeping, Godric knew there would be no question of fighting Salazar back to the chamber again -- and wished there would.

But all he could do was open his arms for Rowena and hold her tightly. "He was so...irrational this time," he murmured, pressing his face against her hair. "Rowena..."

"He'd been easy to upset," Rowena said, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Even before last time. I thought it was -- it _was_ understandable. But I didn't expect this...."

"I did." The strain in Helga's voice hurt to hear. "But not --" It broke, and she sank next to the bed. "Not this soon."

Godric crossed the room quickly and wrapped his arms around her. "Helga...What DID happen?"

"His body just... gave out from the strain at last."

"He was still young," Godric whispered.

"He should have been."

"I'm so sorry, Helga."

She shook her head and tried to stand. Godric rose from the floor to help her up, though he suddenly felt unutterably tired. "You helped him. You kept him from hurting anybody...."

"I hurt him to do it. I drew a _sword_ on him. I treated him like...a beast."

"When he had his own mind, he'd have preferred that rather than to harm anyone, or pass it on. You know."

"I know. But..." He closed his eyes. "Why did our last words on this earth have to be so angry?"

She couldn't answer him.

-----

The castle felt achingly empty.

Godric used to think that nothing could make these stones silent again after being exposed to the noise and general insanity of a school full of boisterous children. And really, the loss of just one person shouldn't make any difference. But it did, and Godric could feel it deep in his bones.

He was wandering the corridors aimlessly after leaving Rowena and Helga together taking comfort in young William. The students were gathered together quietly, classes cancelled for the moment so the school could grieve. He didn't know where he thought he was going, but he couldn't stay still.

He was a little surprised, but not very, when he found himself descending the path to the chamber. It was slippery; he remembered making this section steep and smooth when Salazar was trying to turn back along it and leap at him. He remembered the wolf's paws skidding. He didn't remember walking back up it, but he must have. He walked slowly through the anteChamber, putting his hand on serpentine columns and remembering long nights waiting and carving....

The statue had made Salazar laugh, Godric remembered with a faint smile. Though he _did_ always say it looked like a monkey. Godric looked up at it. It _did_ resemble a monkey. He closed his eyes, tempted beyond reason to melt the statue, the column, the entire room into smooth stone devoid of all memory.

But after a moment, he took a steady breath, opened his eyes, and walked on, leaving the stone as it was.

"Be careful."

The voice startled him considerably. He identified it easily enough as belonging to Sarah, and he supposed it made sense for her to visit Sharessa. He just hadn't been expecting anyone.

Not to mention that was an odd greeting. He halted as soon as he could see her crouching near the entrance to the inner Chamber. "Of what?"

"Sharessa is... very unhappy. Her temper isn't good."

"I can hardly blame her for being unhappy," Godric replied quietly. "It's good of you to remember her. Salazar..." His voice trailed off for a moment. "He'd want that."

"I've been trying to tell her he _wouldn't_ want her to blame anyone else." Sarah stood up very slowly. "She hasn't attacked me, obviously. But I think she's sulking."

"...It must have been very hard...being with him." Godric remembered Sharessa's hissing at him when he went inside that last time. He wouldn't have been happy at anyone else coming in either. "Tell her...I'm sorry. We all are. And...hopefully William inherited his father's gifts, so he can come down and visit her soon."

Sarah hissed for a while; Godric assumed she was translating as requested. Sharessa's response was very short.

"Doesn't sound like she cares for the idea much." Godric sighed. "I hope you'll still come down and keep her company, Sarah. I -- I don't think I'll be down here very often..."

Sarah bit her lip. "That might not be a bad thing. I'm not sure she's very happy with you." She looked up at him. "I don't think she'll try to do anything, but she rarely leaves here -- do you think you could do something so that she can't just wander out on her own?"

Godric winced. "I...suppose that's for the best. The spell to attract vermin to her should provide her with plenty to eat." He took out his wand -- he was never without it now -- and spoke to the stone for a while. When he was finished, he looked at Sarah and said softly, "Say something to the statue in Parseltongue. That will be the password. You can change it later as you wish, but it will only open to you now." And one more part of Salazar's legacy was closed to him.

She swallowed hard and stared at the mouth of the statue for a while before hissing at it. "Speak to me, Slytherin," she repeated, at Godric's unconsciously questioning look. "But...William can change it if he wants."

A faint smile. "At least he can speak to you," he said very quietly, then patted her shoulder. "Thank you, Sarah."

"I keep expecting to see him," she whispered. "Not that he's alive.... Did you know it's much harder to hide that you're tired in Parseltongue? I'm not even sure if he realized it. But there -- there were ghosts, one or two of them, back home, and I keep thinking...."

"Salazar was never afraid of anything," Godric said softly, "least of all death. He wouldn't be staying here. He'll be off getting things ready for us..."

But that wasn't true. Salazar _was_ afraid of one thing. Himself, what he could do. At least...he didn't need to be afraid of that anymore.

"I didn't think he wanted to leave, though." Sarah smiled weakly. Godric wished Salazar hadn't _said_ he wanted to leave. "I'd better go. I don't think talking to Sharessa was helping much, and I haven't finished my weeding." She walked past him, then paused. "You... left your sword here." Her footsteps moved quickly after that.

"Sarah." His voice stopped her before she'd quite left. He gestured at the statue behind him. "It _does_ look like a monkey, doesn't it?"

"...Sir?"

He smiled sadly. "Never mind. Go on to your weeding."

She ducked out quickly before he could stop her with any more strange questions, leaving Godric standing in the middle of an empty room with a sulking basilisk behind him in a room he couldn't open anymore and a sword in front of him he didn't want to touch.

He steeled himself to pick it up anyway and drew his wand to spell it clean, then hesitated and plucked a bloody strand of fur away from the edge first and kept it. The blade glinted balefully at him after the traces were gone... it didn't help to remember that Salazar had wanted him to wear it for just the purpose to which it had been put.

Nobody'd ever said being friends with a werewolf was supposed to be easy. Or with anyone, really.

He didn't need a sword very often. He wouldn't anymore, at least. And the hat still wasn't finished.

Though it was rare, Godric was still sometimes accused of thinking himself out of something, so he sheathed the blade quickly and walked out. No one had been in the workshop where they'd been working on the new Sorting Hat since Godric had quickly retrieved his wand shortly after the full moon. He hadn't wanted to linger then, and didn't want to now. He picked the hat up and held it gently for a moment. The battered old hat was one more part of Salazar's legacy, and this one wouldn't be closed to him. He left the workshop, vowing not to return again, and sought out Rowena and Helga.

They were together, Helga feeding William and Rowena frowning at something that looked like black lace but was, as she had explained last night, the curious result of a spell that had returned a piece of their expanded parchment to its original (rather tiny) size and somehow left the ink intact. Rowena left it hanging in the air and turned, her eyes going at once to the hat. "That's right. We need --" Her voice caught.

Helga's trembled, but didn't break. "We need to finish that."

"He said all that was left was to insert an object to finish the spell," Godric said steadily. "He hadn't decided what to use, but I have." He held the sword up in front of him, looking at the light glinting off the letters engraved just below the hilt. He blinked fiercely and looked away, turning to the two witches. "Are you ready?"

Helga shifted her son to lie cradled in one arm and took the hat from Godric with the other. "I am."

Rowena came to steady it. "So am I."

Godric nodded, grasping the sword with both hands. This...was supposed to be done by all four of them. He found his eyes wandering to the babe cradled in Helga's arm and reluctantly smiled. He freed one hand to touch the boy's cheek very gently. "Represent your father for us in this, William. He wanted to be here."

William stared back at him solemnly, then cooed quietly. Godric took that as assent and took hold of his sword again. He took a deep breath and nodded at the other two. "By Four begun, into one whole. United as Four forever."

And without another word, he plunged his sword into the hat.

The swordpoint reached the tip of the hat and, instead of piercing it, sank smoothly into nothingness. Godric followed it down until his hands on the hilt disappeared as well -- a strange sight -- and then let go and withdrew. The loose ends of the spell settled firmly into place.

"That's done," Helga said softly. "He would be glad it can speak for him... even if someone else has to guide his students now."

Godric was glad he wasn't the one holding the hat when a rip near the brim opened and a voice emerged. "If you wish to remove the sword now, the spell is set."

He stared at it. Somehow he hadn't been expecting an update, and he honestly hadn't thought of getting the sword _back_. "I don't want it," he said roughly, then swallowed and tried again. "I had to use it against one of my dearest friends. I'll use another if ever I must, but that one.... Keep it, and give it back one day to someone who needs it to do good."

Rowena freed a hand to touch his lightly. He grasped it and squeezed. She cleared her throat and asked the hat, "You're, ah, all ready, then?"

"Just bring me out when you're ready for me to Sort, and I'll tell you where each student is meant to go!" it responded, sounding oddly cheerful. "You've done your job, now I'll do mine."

"We'll let you know," Helga promised it. "Ahead of time, if you like."

"Oh, didn't...." There was a brief pause as the hat twisted a little in their hands. "Salazar tell you? He was thinking, now that they're starting to arrive in regular groups, perhaps I could sing to them first...."

Helga blinked back tears. "Sing. No, it seems to have slipped his mind since he put it in yours. Yes, I'll look forward to hearing that."

"Good. Well...I'll start composing my first song then. I have a feeling that 'ambition' is going to be a tough one to rhyme." The hat gave a few twitches as if settling in, then fell silent.

Even though the hat had been Godric's, they put it in Helga's study except when new students arrived. Then it did sing for them, not beautifully -- but the students still saw their teachers cry.

Godric never asked her if it said anything of Salazar.

-----

_Authors' note: The title of this chapter is of course taken directly from the OotP Sorting Song. Cheerful it may have sounded when it first spoke, but using the sword to finish the Hat left a rather strong impression._


	13. Epilogue

_Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. No disrespect nor any material profit is expected or intended._

**Moon and Stone  
by Andrea13 and Persephone  
Epilogue**

The sudden death of one of its Founders was bound to cause a great deal of discussion in the corridors of Hogwarts. Whispers and lowered voices, so as to not disturb the other Founders lost to grief, repeated the tale endlessly.

_"It was just all so...sudden! He was always sick a lot, but I still never thought..."  
"--seen Professor Hufflepuff? She looks terrible."  
"They said it was his heart..."  
"I thought he was still young. For a teacher, I mean. He had a few gray hairs, but...well, he was a wizard..."_

But stories only stayed simple the first time they were told. With each retelling, more questions were asked and more explanations needed to answer them, and the students added their own memories and speculation to the account their professors had given them.

_"I heard Professor Gryffindor and Professor Slytherin were fighting that night."  
"Thomas said he was around the corner when it happened and Professor Gryffindor used his sword!"  
"Professor Slytherin kept shouting about dangerous beasts he didn't want in the school."  
"Professor Gryffindor said they could fight outside or in the Chamber."   
"What Chamber?"_

The story about the missing fourth Founder became, as most good stories did, something passed on to each year's new students, told at the Welcome Feast after the Sorting Hat did its duty or whispered in the dormitories and classrooms throughout the year.

_"He just disappeared after a fight with Professor Gryffindor and they said he died, but he was still really young."  
"And he kept raving about monsters in the school."  
"He used to not even let Muggle-borns into Slytherin, and that night he was saying he shouldn't have ever let them in."_

And over the years, as all those who'd actually known Salazar Slytherin were gone from the school, the stories were still passed on to their children, and to their children's children, and grew ever more fantastic.

_"They said he used to disappear all the time, and he used to talk about something called the Chamber."  
"What was he doing in it? I heard he had some kind of a monster."  
"He hated Muggle-borns! The monster was probably to kill them so he didn't have to put up with them in the school anymore."  
"He didn't leave the school; he was forced out after trying to get rid of all the Muggle-borns. He had a big fight with Gryffindor."_

Until eventually the truth of Salazar Slytherin was lost to time and only the stories remained.

_"The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school.  
"The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."_

...After all, legends always have a basis in fact.

The End

_Authors' note: The last version of the story quoted is, of course, the one Professor Binns told the students in class during CoS. "Legends always have a basis in fact" is part of the question Hermione used to talk him into it._


End file.
